State Files Defence in Bukenya CHOGM Suit
Former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya
The Attorney General has denied having maliciously prosecuted former Vice President Prof. Gilbert Bukenya in connection to the botched purchase of cars for the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) summit.
Bukyenya who filed suit in November this year sued the Government of Uganda in damages regarding his reputation over the CHOGM case.
Bukenya was sued in 2011 over two counts of misuse of office in addition to other charges and jailed but was released on a Shs50m cash bond which was later cancelled.
He was later acquitted of the charges but after suffering public ridicule, he lost his office, and was emotionally challenged and physically injured.
In a case filed through his lawyer, Mark Kabega, Bukenya is suing for malicious prosecution which saw him become someone who did not deserve people’s trust and respect.
The government was given 50 days to file a defense.
In 2011, Bukenya was indicted by the Inspector General of Government [IGG] on allegations of corruption related to the procurement of the executive cars and motorcycles for the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Kampala.
According to the spokesperson of the IGG’s office M/s Munira Ali, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya faced two charges of abuse of office and acting fraudulently. He was summoned by the Grade 1 Magistrate, Sarah Langa of the Anti Corruption Court to appear in Court on June 16th 2011.
Bukenya was jointly charged with Motorcare (U) Ltd, the company which allegedly purported and “won” the tender and subsequently supplied the executive BMW vehicles that were used during the 2007 CHOGM summit.
The IGG said the multi-billion shilling CHOGM car deal was awarded to Motorcare because of Prof. Bukenya’s “personal influence” as the then Vice President and Chairman of the CHOGM Cabinet Sub-Cabinet Committee.
Justice Paul Mugamba later on ruled that there was no sufficient evidence that Bukenya used his office to influence the award of a Sh9.4 billion tender to Motor Care to supply 204 executive vehicles for the commonwealth summit in Kampala in 2007.
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I have always beleived that what our governement is doing is just a cosmetic effort to fight corruption in this country through helpless insititutions like IGG which for long time some Ugandans have percieved it for selective prosecution which is not yeilding any result at all.
i knew it from the start that there was something wrong in bukenya”s case he is known to be aman of intergrity and i kept wondering how he could involve himself in such dispeakable acts. but never mind buks soon all later your enemies will be put to shame.
WHAT WE ARE INTERESTED IN AS A COUNTRY IS TO SEE CORRUPTION STAMPED OUT NOT ENDLESS CASES. STRIVE TO HAVE ZERO TOLERANCE TO CORRUPTION NO MATTER WHO IS INVOLVED THATS THE ONLY WAY TO MOVE FORWARD AS A COUNTRY.