Court issues arrest warrant for embattled MP Munyagwa

May 03, 2017

The legislator was ordered to pay sh20m on 2nd May

MP Mubarak Munyagwa pictured at the High Court last week before he was released from jail after striking a payment deal.

Kawempe south MP Mubarak Munyagwa nicknamed ‘Mugaati gwa Baata' may be arrested for failure to remit sh100m debt he owes one John Baptist Maali over a botched land transaction.

On Wednesday, Kampala High Court Judge Flavia Anglin Senoga issued an arrest warrant against the legislator for failure to remit sh20m on Tuesday as he was ordered.

"Warrant of arrest is hereby issued against Honourable Mubarak Munyagwa for defying court orders," Senoga ruled.

The warrant was prompted by Maali's lawyer Patrick Bugembe after Munyagwa failed to show up in court.

This comes barely a fortnight after Munyagwa was released from jail where he had spent over two weeks after he signed an agreement with Maali to pay the debt in instalments until full settlement.

He paid sh15m, part of which was contributed by former FDC party president Dr Kizza Besigye and remained a balance of over sh85m.

Maali told New Vision that on Tuesday, efforts to reach the legislator on phone proved futile as various cell phone calls made to him went unanswered.

Recently, Justice Senoga ordered Munyagwa to pay sh20m on May 2, sh30m on June 2 and sh35m on August 2, 2017 plus sh6m being interest and in default execution for the total sum shall issue.

"It is hereby ordered that the applicant pays the decretal sum in Civil Suit no. 57 of 2016. In case of default of any instalment, execution for the total sum due and owing shall issue," Senoga ruled.

Efforts to get a comment from Munyagwa were futile as his known phone was switched off.

Munyagwa's troubles stem from a reported failure to give vacant possession to a piece of land he sold to Maali in 2015.

It is alleged that Munyagwa through his agent, Meddie Basajja, approached Maali saying he was interested in selling his land at Kyadondo Block 205, Plot 509 in Kawempe measuring 0.316 hectares.

Munyagwa, then Kawempe Municipality division mayor, reportedly confirmed to Maali that the land in question was his and that he had bought it from a one Bakali Ssentongo and he was processing its title from Kampala District Land Board.

According Maali, following Munyagwa's assurance that the land in question belonged to him, they made a sale agreement which was witnessed by Munyagwa's lawyer Joseph Kyazze and his agent Meddie Basajja.

He then paid sh100 million to Munyagwa who promised to vacate the land and also give him transfer forms to process the land title.

Court was informed that despite reminders, Munyagwa has failed to honour his obligations. 

Meanwhile the court bailiffs are also still looking for him after he failed to remit their money.

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