Minister Oleru’s Husband dragged to court over rent arrears

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BY ANDREW COHEN AMVESI

ARUA: Abason Ingamule, the husband of Huda Abason Oleru, the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs has been dragged to court over accumulated rent arrears.

Ingamule was on February 2, 2023 sued by Jurua Karilo Alia for failing to clear rent arrears, water bill and personal belongings, all amounting to Shs5, 421, 961.

The civil suit number 0013 of 2023 was filed in the Chief Magistrate’s court of Arua and the matter is currently before His Worship Edgar Tukahaabwa.

In the suit filed through his lawyer, Henry Odama of M/S Odama and Co. Advocates, Jurua claimed that Ingamule rented his house at Niva Cell (Junior Quarters) in Arua Central Division, Arua City for 3 years and 9 months from October 2017 to July 2021 at the rate of shs500,000 per month.

Ingamule is said to have happily lived in the house with his family until his wife, Oleru was sworn in as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Aringa East County and later a Minister thus shifting to stay in Kampala.

“That the plaintiff (Jurua) received a total of Shs19,000,000 broken down as (Shs17,000,000, Shs500,000, Shs1,000,000 and Shs500,000) out of a total of Shs22,500,000 leaving outstanding balance of Shs3,500,000. That at the time of vacating the house, the Defendant (Ingamule) left an accumulated water bill of Shs1, 271,961 totaling to Shs4, 771, 961,” the suit read in part.

“That when the Defendant (Ingamule) left the house, he went with the plaintiff’s personal belongings to wit; 10 pcs of plastic chairs each at Shs25,000 totaling to Shs250,000, 10 pcs of plastic stools each at Shs10,000 totaling to Shs100,000, 2 pcs of plastic tables each at Shs25,000 totaling to Shs50,000, 3 pcs of double curtains each at Shs50,000 totaling to Shs150,000 and 1 flat Iron Philips original at Shs100,000, all totaling to Shs650,000,” Jurua claimed in the leaked court documents.

Jurua who is also the chairperson of NRM Yellow Brigade, a political pressure group in the West Nile region further told court that due to the accumulated water bill that remained unpaid by Ingamule, National Water and Sewerage Corporation staff removed the water meter which made his premises inhabitable to tenants until to date hence causing him loss in terms of rental income.

He said contrary to their agreement, Ingamule refused to pay his monies despite several reminders even through his wife, Huda Abason Oleru, the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs and Jackson Atima Lee Buti, the Arua Central Division MP also the regional Government Whip for West Nile region among other people.

“Wherefore the plaintiff prays for judgement against the Defendant for; Shs5,421,961 being the sum of money for rent arrears, water bill and personal belongings, general damages for delay and inconveniences caused to the plaintiff this being business, interest on the accumulated rent arrears above at the current rate from the date of filing the suit until payment in full, costs of this suit and interests thereon at the current rate from the date of judgement until payment in full and any other relief that this court deems just and appropriate,” Jurua prayed in his suit.

But when contacted on phone over the matter, Ingamule said he has never been Jurua’s tenant in his life. Ingamule instead claimed that Jurua borrowed money from him which he hasn’t cleared in full.

“Jurua borrowed money from me even the document tabled in the court has that content of the money he borrowed. He borrowed Shs17,000,000 from me and I was supposed to enter his house but I have not entered, I wanted my money back but he has not paid. Instead of paying my money, he has gone ahead to sue me, so the matter is now in court and my lawyers are handling it,” Ingamule said.