Kyanda wants sh400m for libel
Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) chief Col. Leopold Kyanda wants sh400m from FDC’s Jack Sabiiti and Winnie Byanyima, wife to presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye in compensation for libel.
By Hillary Kiirya
Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) chief Col. Leopold Kyanda wants sh400m from FDC’s Jack Sabiiti and Winnie Byanyima, wife to presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye in compensation for libel.
Kyanda (below), through Kiwanuka and Karugire Co. Advocates, in a letter dated January 4, 2006, asked Sabiiti and Byanyima to retract their allegations and apologise in writing.
“You are also required to immediately contact us to discuss compensation to our client for the damage caused. Take notice that if you do not do so in any event not later than seven days from the date hereof, we are under strict instructions to institute legal proceedings against you seeking both general and punitive damages at your cost,†read the letter.
On December 24, 2005, Sabiiti and Byanyima jointly authored and published a letter addressed to Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki, in which they made allegations of bribery and criminal conduct against several people and Kyanda.
Byanyima and Sabiiti alleged that Kyanda, acting on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni, sent two installments of sh50m each to Justice Remmy Kasule and sh200m to Deputy Chief Justice, Laeticia Kikonyogo, who is presiding over a number of important cases filed in the Constitutional Court.
Kyanda, however, said the allegations were entirely false and did not contain any truth and that they were made in bad faith.
“By your own admission in the letter, the allegations came to you by way of hearsay and rumour and you clearly did not make any attempt to establish their veracity before publishing what obviously amounted to libelous statements. In making the said allegations, you have wrongly and maliciously portrayed our client as a person who engages in the criminal conduct of bribery/subverting the course of justice.
“Our client has suffered damage to his reputation and integrity for which you are jointly and severally responsible,†the lawyers’ letter said.
Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) chief Col. Leopold Kyanda wants sh400m from FDC’s Jack Sabiiti and Winnie Byanyima, wife to presidential candidate Dr. Kizza Besigye in compensation for libel.
Kyanda (below), through Kiwanuka and Karugire Co. Advocates, in a letter dated January 4, 2006, asked Sabiiti and Byanyima to retract their allegations and apologise in writing.
“You are also required to immediately contact us to discuss compensation to our client for the damage caused. Take notice that if you do not do so in any event not later than seven days from the date hereof, we are under strict instructions to institute legal proceedings against you seeking both general and punitive damages at your cost,†read the letter.
On December 24, 2005, Sabiiti and Byanyima jointly authored and published a letter addressed to Chief Justice Benjamin Odoki, in which they made allegations of bribery and criminal conduct against several people and Kyanda.
Byanyima and Sabiiti alleged that Kyanda, acting on behalf of President Yoweri Museveni, sent two installments of sh50m each to Justice Remmy Kasule and sh200m to Deputy Chief Justice, Laeticia Kikonyogo, who is presiding over a number of important cases filed in the Constitutional Court.
Kyanda, however, said the allegations were entirely false and did not contain any truth and that they were made in bad faith.
“By your own admission in the letter, the allegations came to you by way of hearsay and rumour and you clearly did not make any attempt to establish their veracity before publishing what obviously amounted to libelous statements. In making the said allegations, you have wrongly and maliciously portrayed our client as a person who engages in the criminal conduct of bribery/subverting the course of justice.
“Our client has suffered damage to his reputation and integrity for which you are jointly and severally responsible,†the lawyers’ letter said.