Pader boss tussles with IGG official

May 09, 2009

THE High Court in Gulu has ordered Pader chairman to stop making statements about a local company he accuses of defrauding the district through shoddy construction work of schools and government houses.

By vision reporter

THE High Court in Gulu has ordered Pader chairman to stop making statements about a local company he accuses of defrauding the district through shoddy construction work of schools and government houses.

Registrar Isaac Muwata on Tuesday ordered Peter Odok W’Oceng not to make any statements against Best Services, until the court hears the suit they filed against him for defamation. The company sued W’Oceng in April, claiming his statements defamed them.

The company is owned by the Director of Operation in the office of the Inspectorate of Government, James Penywii, city lawyer Walter Okidi Ladwar and Eng. Banabas Okeny.

The battle between the chairman and the company has raged on since May 2007. W’Oceng accuses the company of price inflation, influence peddling, forged claims and payment for works not executed. Penywii is heading a team investigating W’Oceng for using district funds to pay for repairs of his personal vehicle.

In several correspondences to the IGG’s office and ministry of local government, W’Oceng accuses Penywii and two other IGG officials of intimidating district officials over the issue.

He wants the trio removed from the team probing corruption allegations in the district.

W’Oceng claims Pader has lost close to sh10b to corruption in the form of ghost projects, shoddy work, inflated contract prices and forgery over the last five years. Best services is one of the companies with contracts in the district.

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