I linked Katto, Saleh â€" witness
Apr 23, 2005
THE trial of city businessman Emmanuel Katto for the 1998 botched supply of helicopter gunships to the UPDF started yesterday in Kampala. Kwame Ruyondo, who introduced Katto to Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh to supply the sh11b military choppers, was the first State witness.
By Alfred Wasike and Anne Mugisa
THE trial of city businessman Emmanuel Katto for the 1998 botched supply of helicopter gunships to the UPDF started yesterday in Kampala. Kwame Ruyondo, who introduced Katto to Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh to supply the sh11b military choppers, was the first State witness.
Ruyondo, a Kampala businessman, denied knowledge of the US$800,000 bribe that Katto allegedly offered Saleh to hasten the deal to supply four Mi24 attack aircraft.
“My role was to arrange for meetings between Mr. Katto and Gen. Saleh,†Ruyondo said, adding that he learnt of the bribe from the press and the commission of inquiry which probed the deal. He said the bribe was never discussed in any of the meetings he attended.
The Chief Magistrate at Buganda Road Court, Margaret Tibulya, is hearing the case, while deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Simon Byabakama is prosecuting the case. City lawyer Bob Kasango is defending Katto.
Saleh, who was expected to be the second witness, was absent because he had a presentation to make in his class at the Senior Command and Staff College Kimaka, Jinja.
Byabakama said the presentation would determine whether Saleh completed the course or not so he could not leave. He said Saleh had asked court to allow him to testify on May 6.
The fully-packed court mainly had Katto’s friends and relatives who arrived at around 8:00am.
Saleh’s aide Juma Seiko attended the proceedings, which started at around 9:17am.
Ruyondo said Saleh did not attend all the meetings and that officials from the defence ministry attended. He said he did not know whether the final decision for the purchase of the helicopters lay with Saleh or the defence officials.
Ruyondo said Saleh instructed him to deliver the supply proposal from Katto to the ministry, which he did.
He said he believed a Mr. Smith, on behalf of the suppliers, the Consolidated Sales Corporation, signed the document.
Ruyondo said at the time, he was working for Saleh’s company, Efforte Corporation, as business development manager.
The witness said Katto, whom he described as a friend he has known for 27 years, approached him in 1996 to be introduced to Saleh so that he (Katto) could clinch the contract to supply the Mi24 helicopter gunships to the army. The gunships were finally delivered in 1998, but were discovered to be defective.
THE trial of city businessman Emmanuel Katto for the 1998 botched supply of helicopter gunships to the UPDF started yesterday in Kampala. Kwame Ruyondo, who introduced Katto to Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh to supply the sh11b military choppers, was the first State witness.
Ruyondo, a Kampala businessman, denied knowledge of the US$800,000 bribe that Katto allegedly offered Saleh to hasten the deal to supply four Mi24 attack aircraft.
“My role was to arrange for meetings between Mr. Katto and Gen. Saleh,†Ruyondo said, adding that he learnt of the bribe from the press and the commission of inquiry which probed the deal. He said the bribe was never discussed in any of the meetings he attended.
The Chief Magistrate at Buganda Road Court, Margaret Tibulya, is hearing the case, while deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Simon Byabakama is prosecuting the case. City lawyer Bob Kasango is defending Katto.
Saleh, who was expected to be the second witness, was absent because he had a presentation to make in his class at the Senior Command and Staff College Kimaka, Jinja.
Byabakama said the presentation would determine whether Saleh completed the course or not so he could not leave. He said Saleh had asked court to allow him to testify on May 6.
The fully-packed court mainly had Katto’s friends and relatives who arrived at around 8:00am.
Saleh’s aide Juma Seiko attended the proceedings, which started at around 9:17am.
Ruyondo said Saleh did not attend all the meetings and that officials from the defence ministry attended. He said he did not know whether the final decision for the purchase of the helicopters lay with Saleh or the defence officials.
Ruyondo said Saleh instructed him to deliver the supply proposal from Katto to the ministry, which he did.
He said he believed a Mr. Smith, on behalf of the suppliers, the Consolidated Sales Corporation, signed the document.
Ruyondo said at the time, he was working for Saleh’s company, Efforte Corporation, as business development manager.
The witness said Katto, whom he described as a friend he has known for 27 years, approached him in 1996 to be introduced to Saleh so that he (Katto) could clinch the contract to supply the Mi24 helicopter gunships to the army. The gunships were finally delivered in 1998, but were discovered to be defective.