Declare Otafiire Broke, Says Lawyer

By Jude Etyang A Kampala lawyer, Mumtaz Kassam, has filed a bankruptcy notice against state minister for regional co-operation Col. Kahinda Otafiire over failure to pay a sh150m debt.Through Kwesigabo, Bamwine and Walubiri Company advocates, Kassam said Otafiire must pay the money plus interest and legal costs of 3,574,000 within seven days or face bankruptcy proceedings.The notice was filed on August 9 before Justice Okumu Wengi of the Commercial Court.Johnson Kwesigabo said Otafiire will be personally served with the notice next week. Efforts to get a comment from Otafiire failed.The money is a judgment debt which Kassam obtained after winning a civil case against Otafiire, who is also the Ruhinda county MP.In 1998, Kassam reportedly gave Otafiire a loan of sh150m which he has never paid. Kassam took the matter to court and in April last year, obtained judgment against Otafiire after he failed to defend himself against the suit.Kassam said if Otafiire had a counter-claim over the judgement date, he must in three days apply to court to set aside the bankruptcy notice.Ends