Court dismisses case against Ian Clarke

By Michael Odeng & Betty Amamukirori

BUGANDA Road Court has absolved Makindye division mayor Ian Clarke charges of impersonating Kampla Lord Mayor.

It's alleged that on September 29, at a ceremony where the mayor of Bujumbura was to hand over the chairpersonship of the East Africa Local Authorities and Sports Cultural Association to his Kampala counterpart, Dr Clarke held out as the Kampala Lord Mayor and received the instrument of power in violation of the law.

The handover was organised by the Kampala minister, Frank Tumwebaze, at City Hall. 

Earlier on, Clarke had denied the allegations, saying he acted as mayor of Makindye division and only received the instruments because he was the only mayor from Kampala present at the function.

On Monday, Grade One magistrate Simon Zirituusa rejected a warrant of private prosecution filed against Clarke by Kawempe mayor Mubarak Munyagwa.

“You cannot file a charge in a wrong law. I therefore dismiss the case,” Zirituusa said.

The court passed the decision after Clarke’s lawyer, John Bosco Mudde asked court to dismiss the case on grounds that the section under which the charges was filed against his client did not exist. Neither Munyagwa nor his lawyers appeared in court.