IGG’s Norway Investigation On Kaijuka Stalls
Nov 24, 2002
THE Inspector General of Government’s (IGG) probe into the US$10,000 bribery scandal in the 250MW US$550 million Bujagali hydro-power station has stalled.
By Alfred Wasike
THE Inspector General of Government’s (IGG) probe into the US$10,000 bribery scandal in the 250MW US$550 million Bujagali hydro-power station has stalled.
The World Bank’s former Associate, Director Richard Kaijuka, was implicated in the US$10,000 bribery scandal.
“We have reached a dead end. We are stuck because we cannot travel to Norway to interview the people we think are at the centre of this problem. The Norwegians say we must go through certain steps. They say it is their law. We have written to them through our Ministry of Foreign Affairs but we have not heard from them,†the IGG, Jotham Tumwesigye, said yesterday.
“There are too many hurdles to overcome in this case. There are too many questions to which we need answers. For example, why did they wind up that company (Norwegian Viedekke ASA’s English subsidiary, Noricil, also known as Norpak) shortly after the alleged bribes? The whole thing is suspicious. We need to go to Norway,†Tumwesigye said.
Kaijuka’s high profile job as the representative of 23 English and Portuguese-speaking African nations ended on August 26, 2002. Kaijuka (pictured right) was replaced by former Bank of Uganda deputy governor, Louis Kasekende.
His woes started in June this year after reports that Viedekke ASA paid a Ugandan official a US$10,000 bribe in 1999 at a time it was lobbying to build the Karuma Falls power station.
On July 8, 2002, Premier Apolo Nsibambi asked the IGG to investigate the issue. “This allegation has sparked off a lot of bad publicity against the Government efforts to develop the Bujagali power station. It is important that the Government gets to the root of this allegation.
This is, therefore, to request you to carry out thorough investigation of the matter,†he wrote.
Nsibambi added, “I will welcome recommendations you may deem necessary to mitigate the impact of the allegations to the development of the project and for dealing with the culprits, if any.â€
The New Vision reported last week that Kaijuka, a former energy minister, may face a US grand jury set to hear the case.
A grand jury is a group of respectable people selected and authorised by a judge to decide whether there is sufficient evidence to indict a suspect. Ends
THE Inspector General of Government’s (IGG) probe into the US$10,000 bribery scandal in the 250MW US$550 million Bujagali hydro-power station has stalled.
The World Bank’s former Associate, Director Richard Kaijuka, was implicated in the US$10,000 bribery scandal.
“We have reached a dead end. We are stuck because we cannot travel to Norway to interview the people we think are at the centre of this problem. The Norwegians say we must go through certain steps. They say it is their law. We have written to them through our Ministry of Foreign Affairs but we have not heard from them,†the IGG, Jotham Tumwesigye, said yesterday.
“There are too many hurdles to overcome in this case. There are too many questions to which we need answers. For example, why did they wind up that company (Norwegian Viedekke ASA’s English subsidiary, Noricil, also known as Norpak) shortly after the alleged bribes? The whole thing is suspicious. We need to go to Norway,†Tumwesigye said.
Kaijuka’s high profile job as the representative of 23 English and Portuguese-speaking African nations ended on August 26, 2002. Kaijuka (pictured right) was replaced by former Bank of Uganda deputy governor, Louis Kasekende.
His woes started in June this year after reports that Viedekke ASA paid a Ugandan official a US$10,000 bribe in 1999 at a time it was lobbying to build the Karuma Falls power station.
On July 8, 2002, Premier Apolo Nsibambi asked the IGG to investigate the issue. “This allegation has sparked off a lot of bad publicity against the Government efforts to develop the Bujagali power station. It is important that the Government gets to the root of this allegation.
This is, therefore, to request you to carry out thorough investigation of the matter,†he wrote.
Nsibambi added, “I will welcome recommendations you may deem necessary to mitigate the impact of the allegations to the development of the project and for dealing with the culprits, if any.â€
The New Vision reported last week that Kaijuka, a former energy minister, may face a US grand jury set to hear the case.
A grand jury is a group of respectable people selected and authorised by a judge to decide whether there is sufficient evidence to indict a suspect. Ends