Court to hear Ekemu appeal

By Hillary Nsambu THE High Court will today hear an appeal by the former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Joseph Ekemu, against a two-year jail sentence. When the appeal came up for hearing yesterday, Justice J.P. Tabaro said he would start hearing it today, beginning at 9.00am. Through his lawyer MacDosman Kabega, Ekemu, now in Luzira prison, appealed on the grounds that the Inspector General of Government had no powers to institute criminal charges against him. One year ago, Mr Andrew Bashaija, the then Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, convicted Ekemu and his political assistant, David Kadidi Kamwada, for forgery and theft. He sentenced them to a 24 months in prison. They had been charged with stealing sh113m, which the Bank of Uganda allegedly paid to Ekemu for restocking Teso with cattle. They are also challenging the chief magistrate, saying he convicted them without enough evidence. Ends.