Date set for Byandala graft case hearing

By Betty Amamukirori

Court has set January 18 as the inaugural date for the hearing of a case in which the former works minister, and minister without portfolio is charged with causing a financial loss of over sh24.7b meant for the upgrade of the Mukono-Katosi road.

The hearing will be presided over by Justice Lawrence Gidudu of the Anti-Corruption court. Court has also selected two court assessors who will assist the judge throughout the hearing till judgment. Their ruling will form a basis for the final judgment.

They include Vincent Ferrer Oketcho, a 44 year old education assistant, resident of Binna in Mbuya, and Stanley Kurungo a 48 year old resident of Bweyogerere. The assessors were allocated by the deputy registrar Sarah Langa Siu.

Byandala and five others were committed to high court for trial last year by the grade one magistrate Julius Borore after the state completed and closed its investigations into the case.

The others include businessman Apollo Senkeeto, former Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) Ag. executive director, Eng. Berunado Ssebbugga Kimeze, Marvin Baryaruha, UNRA's ex-legal counsel, Joe Ssemugooma, former acting director finance and administration and Former Housing Finance Bank official Isaac Mugote.

They are set to face trial on 23 counts of abuse of office, disobedience of lawful orders, influence peddling, causing financial loss, corruption, theft, obtaining money by false pretense, uttering of false documents, conspiracy to defraud, obtaining execution of a security by false pretense and aiding and abetting the offence of causing financial loss.  

Byandala is accused of authoring a letter in August 27, 2014, ordering for the continuation of works on Katosi Road by Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO).

It is alleged that he influenced the procurement process that led to the award of tender and signing of a contract between Eutaw and UNRA contrary to the principles and procedures of procurement in UNRA.

Prosecution alleges that Senkeeto uttered a false KCB Bank bid guarantee for sh1.9b in support of a bid for procurement of the road upgrade.

He allegedly obtained execution of performance bond of sh16.5b from insurance company of East Africa and UAP Insurance Company by misrepresenting to them that it was guaranteeing a pending payment for the road.

Meanwhile, UNRA officials were accused by the IGG for effecting payment of sh24.7b to Eutaw without establishing its authenticity. Mugote on the other hand is accused of aiding the theft of sh24.7b.