LC bicycle dealer arrested at Parliament

Sep 28, 2011

PATRICK Bagarukayo, the businessman who took sh1.1b of the LC bicycle money, was yesterday arrested after he failed to clarify his relationship with Amman Impex sole director, Arjunan Rejesekaran.

By Henry Sekanjako and Moses Walubiri

PATRICK Bagarukayo, the businessman who took sh1.1b of the LC bicycle money, was yesterday arrested after he failed to clarify his relationship with Amman Impex sole director, Arjunan Rejesekaran.

Bagarukayo, who failed to explain to MPs his relationship with Amman, said the money was used to make Rajesekaran’s local payments and the rest was his commission.

“I know him very well, his factory, his home and he calls me his coordinator. My job is to find clients for him at a fee,” Bagarukayo said.

He was yesterday appearing before the public service and local government committee that is investigating the botched purchase of 70,000 bicycles for village chairpersons and local councils.

Asked why he appended his signature on the Amman contract agreements if he was not an agent of Amman, Bagarukayo said he did not know he was signing on Amman’s behalf.

“I am neither a director nor an agent of Amman Impex,” he said.

The committee went into a closed session after which the chairperson, Frolence Kintu, ordered Bagarukayo’s arrest.

Bagarukayo’s arrest follows last week’s parliamentary directive to have him arrested over fraud.

Meanwhile, a total of 1,200 bicycles out of 70,000 bicycles for village chairpersons and local council have reached Mombasa Port awaiting delivery into the country.

The permanent secretary in the ministry of Local government, Kashaka Muhanguzi, told MPs yesterday that three containers each containing 400 bicycles were ready for delivery.

The MPs, however, insisted they wanted documentation.

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