AG grilled over court awards
Jul 31, 2006
Attorney General (AG) Dr. Khiddu Makubuya and his technical team yesterday failed to explain the criteria followed to clear statuary court awards and compensations and asked for more time to give the details.
By Apollo Mubiru
Attorney General (AG) Dr. Khiddu Makubuya and his technical team yesterday failed to explain the criteria followed to clear statuary court awards and compensations and asked for more time to give the details.
The AG chamber is owed over sh60b in statutory court awards and compensations, according to the justice and constitutional affairs ministry policy statement for this financial year Makubuya presented before parliament.
The ministry, however, paid over sh25b under statutory court awards to 470 individuals and institutions last financial year.
MPs on the committee on legal and parliamentary affairs yesterday put Makubuya to task to explain the criteria followed in offsetting court awards and compensations.
The committee, chaired by Aston Kajara (Mwenge South), noted that there were outstanding statutory court awards and compensations that had stayed for years, yet new ones were being honoured.
The committee also wanted the justice and constitutional affairs minister, who is also the AG, to present details of the particulars of the beneficiaries, the amounts paid to each and the timing of their awards.
Flanked by justice state minister Freddie Ruhindi, Solicitor General Lucian Tibaruha and other officials, Makubuya said he did not have the answers the MPs wanted.
“Mr. chairman, a list of the queries you want us to respond to in this policy statement was received on 26th July while we were attending a major workshop in Mbarara. I request that you give us more time to look at our diaries so that we can clarify on these issues,†Makubuya said.
MPs gave Makubuya up to September 8 to respond to issues raised before the committee considers and approves his ministry’s budget allocations for this financial year.
Attorney General (AG) Dr. Khiddu Makubuya and his technical team yesterday failed to explain the criteria followed to clear statuary court awards and compensations and asked for more time to give the details.
The AG chamber is owed over sh60b in statutory court awards and compensations, according to the justice and constitutional affairs ministry policy statement for this financial year Makubuya presented before parliament.
The ministry, however, paid over sh25b under statutory court awards to 470 individuals and institutions last financial year.
MPs on the committee on legal and parliamentary affairs yesterday put Makubuya to task to explain the criteria followed in offsetting court awards and compensations.
The committee, chaired by Aston Kajara (Mwenge South), noted that there were outstanding statutory court awards and compensations that had stayed for years, yet new ones were being honoured.
The committee also wanted the justice and constitutional affairs minister, who is also the AG, to present details of the particulars of the beneficiaries, the amounts paid to each and the timing of their awards.
Flanked by justice state minister Freddie Ruhindi, Solicitor General Lucian Tibaruha and other officials, Makubuya said he did not have the answers the MPs wanted.
“Mr. chairman, a list of the queries you want us to respond to in this policy statement was received on 26th July while we were attending a major workshop in Mbarara. I request that you give us more time to look at our diaries so that we can clarify on these issues,†Makubuya said.
MPs gave Makubuya up to September 8 to respond to issues raised before the committee considers and approves his ministry’s budget allocations for this financial year.