Attorney General faces arrest over oil deal
Sep 16, 2011
MPs on the legal and parliamentary affairs committee have warned the Attorney General, Peter Nyombi, against defying orders to provide them with oil production agreements signed between the Government and the two prospecting companies.
By Henry Sekanjako
MPs on the legal and parliamentary affairs committee have warned the Attorney General, Peter Nyombi, against defying orders to provide them with oil production agreements signed between the Government and the two prospecting companies.
The MPs made the warning in a meeting yesterday in which Nyombi was expected, for the third time, to furnish the committee with the documents.
The MPs resolved to detain and hand him over to Parliament CID if he next appears in Parliament without the documents.
The committee wants documents that include the Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) signed on September 8, 2004 with Heritage Oil and the PSA signed on July 1, 2004 with Tullow Oil.
Other documents are the memorandum of understanding between the Government and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) together with Heritage Oil and another one with Tullow Oil.
The MPs also asked for an April 22, 2010 statement from URA confirming how much had been received in taxes.
They also asked for certified copies of Articles of Association of the companies particulars of the directors and secretaries in addition to the Supplemental Agreement of July 6, 2010.
The committee deputy chairperson, Steven Bakka, said on three occassions the Attorney General had “refused†to present the required documents, which, he said, is contempt of Parliament.
“We are evoking our powers as stipulated in the Constitution, to summon the Attorney General for the last time to come with those documents,†he said.
According to the Constitution, Parliament has the power of the High Court to issue summons and warrants of arrest to anyone.
The committee’s lead counsel, Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East), said the Attorney General and the Solicitor General among other staff had taken the committee for granted.
MPs on the legal and parliamentary affairs committee have warned the Attorney General, Peter Nyombi, against defying orders to provide them with oil production agreements signed between the Government and the two prospecting companies.
The MPs made the warning in a meeting yesterday in which Nyombi was expected, for the third time, to furnish the committee with the documents.
The MPs resolved to detain and hand him over to Parliament CID if he next appears in Parliament without the documents.
The committee wants documents that include the Production Sharing Agreements (PSA) signed on September 8, 2004 with Heritage Oil and the PSA signed on July 1, 2004 with Tullow Oil.
Other documents are the memorandum of understanding between the Government and the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) together with Heritage Oil and another one with Tullow Oil.
The MPs also asked for an April 22, 2010 statement from URA confirming how much had been received in taxes.
They also asked for certified copies of Articles of Association of the companies particulars of the directors and secretaries in addition to the Supplemental Agreement of July 6, 2010.
The committee deputy chairperson, Steven Bakka, said on three occassions the Attorney General had “refused†to present the required documents, which, he said, is contempt of Parliament.
“We are evoking our powers as stipulated in the Constitution, to summon the Attorney General for the last time to come with those documents,†he said.
According to the Constitution, Parliament has the power of the High Court to issue summons and warrants of arrest to anyone.
The committee’s lead counsel, Wilfred Niwagaba (Ndorwa East), said the Attorney General and the Solicitor General among other staff had taken the committee for granted.