Katosi project: Byandala to learn his fate today

COURT

KAMPALA - Former works minister Abraham Byandala will know his fate from the Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday.

He is currently charged with stealing sh24.7b in the botched Mukono-Katosi road project.

Byandala is facing the charges with six others, including former Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) executive director Eng. Berunado Kimeze and businessman Apollo Senkeeto.
 
They are facing 24 counts of abuse of office, causing financial loss, disobedience of lawful orders, theft, uttering false documents, corruption and obtaining execution of a security by false pretence.

Byandala is alleged to have influenced the procurement process that led to the award of tender to Eutaw, a fake company.

Prosecution alleges that Senkeeto uttered a false KCB bank bid guarantee for sh1.9b in support of his bid for the road upgrade contract. Last month, court assessors advised the Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Justice Lawrence Gidudu to acquit the accused on grounds that prosecution did not prove loss of money.

Senkeeto is also alleged to have obtained execution of performance bond of sh16.5b from Insurance Company of East Africa and UAP by misrepresenting to them that it was guaranteeing a pending payment for the road.

UNRA officials were accused by the Inspector General of Government for effecting payment of sh24.7b to Eutaw without establishing its authenticity.