Trial starts in Akankwasa 900m scandal
Dec 17, 2009
JULIET Katusiime, the woman accused of stealing sh900m from her husband, Damian Akankwasa, had prior plans to steal the money, court heard yesterday.
By Charles Ariko
JULIET Katusiime, the woman accused of stealing sh900m from her husband, Damien Akankwasa, had prior plans to steal the money, court heard yesterday.
Abubakar Katerega, a businessman in Masindi, yesterday told the court that Katusiime informed him that her husband kept a lot of money in the house and that she would one day steal it.
“She told me she had problems with her husband in Kampala. She said when she leaves his home, she would steal the money,†Katerega told the court.
Akankwasa is the National Forestry Authority boss who is currently on suspension on the directives of President Yoweri Museveni, pending investigations into the source of the sh900m.
Katerega is the first witness to testify in the case in which Katusiime stands trial together with Wakiso-based businessman, David Ssebuliba.
Before the trial started yesterday, Katusiime was charged with additional charges of forgery and uttering a false document.
Her co-accused is facing charges of retaining stolen property. Ssebuliba allegedly helped Katusiime hide sh117m of the sh 900m.
In his testimony yesterday, Katerega said he came to know Katusiime in June when she had gone shopping in his friend’s shop in Masindi town.
She reportedly told him that she was a money-lender based in Kampala.
After one week, he said he called Katusiime with a request for a loan and she asked him for security.
He said he gave her the log-book of his car for a sh15m loan, which was withdrawn from Cairo bank by Ssebuliba who had been instructed by Katusiime to deal with him.
He said after getting the loan, he proceeded to Kenya to purchase goods for his shop.
On his return, Katerega said, he was arrested by the Police in Masindi who wanted to know his connection with Katusiime and was transferred to Kiira Road Police Station in Kampala. The trial resumes today.
JULIET Katusiime, the woman accused of stealing sh900m from her husband, Damien Akankwasa, had prior plans to steal the money, court heard yesterday.
Abubakar Katerega, a businessman in Masindi, yesterday told the court that Katusiime informed him that her husband kept a lot of money in the house and that she would one day steal it.
“She told me she had problems with her husband in Kampala. She said when she leaves his home, she would steal the money,†Katerega told the court.
Akankwasa is the National Forestry Authority boss who is currently on suspension on the directives of President Yoweri Museveni, pending investigations into the source of the sh900m.
Katerega is the first witness to testify in the case in which Katusiime stands trial together with Wakiso-based businessman, David Ssebuliba.
Before the trial started yesterday, Katusiime was charged with additional charges of forgery and uttering a false document.
Her co-accused is facing charges of retaining stolen property. Ssebuliba allegedly helped Katusiime hide sh117m of the sh 900m.
In his testimony yesterday, Katerega said he came to know Katusiime in June when she had gone shopping in his friend’s shop in Masindi town.
She reportedly told him that she was a money-lender based in Kampala.
After one week, he said he called Katusiime with a request for a loan and she asked him for security.
He said he gave her the log-book of his car for a sh15m loan, which was withdrawn from Cairo bank by Ssebuliba who had been instructed by Katusiime to deal with him.
He said after getting the loan, he proceeded to Kenya to purchase goods for his shop.
On his return, Katerega said, he was arrested by the Police in Masindi who wanted to know his connection with Katusiime and was transferred to Kiira Road Police Station in Kampala. The trial resumes today.