Mufti snubs probe
Sep 05, 2006
MUFTI Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje yesterday declined to appear before a committee investigating the irregular sale of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) property, saying he could only testify if the members went to his office.
By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe and Madinah Tebajjukira
MUFTI Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje yesterday declined to appear before a committee investigating the irregular sale of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) property, saying he could only testify if the members went to his office.
The committee chairman, Dr. Yahaya Mpeza, told journalists that Mubajje, in a telephone conversation, had declined to appear, saying it was not proper as head of the Muslim community to testify in public.
“In a lengthy telephone conversation between the Mufti and the chairman, the committee suggested that he attends to it on Wednesday. He informed the committee that he is only able to appear before it on Thursday because he has a press conference on Wednesday.
“Later on, he accepted to appear on Wednesday but only at his office at the UMSC headquarters.
The committee rejected his request. The mufti hastened to add that the committee can go ahead with business without his input,†Mpeza said.
He said they would submit their report without the Mufti’s testimony.
“Due to limited time available for the committee to submit its recommendations, and the fact that Mubajje has been summoned twice, and being satisfied that he received the summons, the committee is constrained to arrive at a decision that the Mufti has technically locked himself from the proceedings of this commission,†Mpeza said.
He said Mubajje had lost all the opportunities accorded to him to defend himself against allegations made against him by those who appeared before the committee.
The committee will submit its report to the UMSC executive chairman, Sheikh Ali Adrama, who will forward it to a joint session before it is discussed by the general assembly and a decision taken.
Mubajje was scheduled to appear before the committee last Friday but it was postponed after a relative said he was out of the country for an official assignment.
Mubajje had earlier through his principal private secretary, Ali Siwuyo, communicated that he was unable to meet the committee and asked them to meet him on Thursday at his office in Old Kampala.
Mpeza said Mubajje late last month approached one of the members, Mohammed Kisambira, asking the committee to allow him meet them before he travels to Japan, which was rejected.
This was rejected because there were other respondents that day. He was asked to proceed with his travel plans.
Mpeza said 28 respondents had testified before the committee, with most of them accusing Mubajje of being ‘unscrupulous, usurping powers of the members of the executive committee and leasing council properties to more than one developer.’
MUFTI Sheikh Shaban Ramadhan Mubajje yesterday declined to appear before a committee investigating the irregular sale of the Uganda Muslim Supreme Council (UMSC) property, saying he could only testify if the members went to his office.
The committee chairman, Dr. Yahaya Mpeza, told journalists that Mubajje, in a telephone conversation, had declined to appear, saying it was not proper as head of the Muslim community to testify in public.
“In a lengthy telephone conversation between the Mufti and the chairman, the committee suggested that he attends to it on Wednesday. He informed the committee that he is only able to appear before it on Thursday because he has a press conference on Wednesday.
“Later on, he accepted to appear on Wednesday but only at his office at the UMSC headquarters.
The committee rejected his request. The mufti hastened to add that the committee can go ahead with business without his input,†Mpeza said.
He said they would submit their report without the Mufti’s testimony.
“Due to limited time available for the committee to submit its recommendations, and the fact that Mubajje has been summoned twice, and being satisfied that he received the summons, the committee is constrained to arrive at a decision that the Mufti has technically locked himself from the proceedings of this commission,†Mpeza said.
He said Mubajje had lost all the opportunities accorded to him to defend himself against allegations made against him by those who appeared before the committee.
The committee will submit its report to the UMSC executive chairman, Sheikh Ali Adrama, who will forward it to a joint session before it is discussed by the general assembly and a decision taken.
Mubajje was scheduled to appear before the committee last Friday but it was postponed after a relative said he was out of the country for an official assignment.
Mubajje had earlier through his principal private secretary, Ali Siwuyo, communicated that he was unable to meet the committee and asked them to meet him on Thursday at his office in Old Kampala.
Mpeza said Mubajje late last month approached one of the members, Mohammed Kisambira, asking the committee to allow him meet them before he travels to Japan, which was rejected.
This was rejected because there were other respondents that day. He was asked to proceed with his travel plans.
Mpeza said 28 respondents had testified before the committee, with most of them accusing Mubajje of being ‘unscrupulous, usurping powers of the members of the executive committee and leasing council properties to more than one developer.’