Jamwa not to appear before Parliament
Jul 08, 2010
PARLIAMENT Speaker Edward Ssekandi has granted a request by former NSSF boss David Chandi Jamwa not to appear before the committee probing the mismanagement of the Fund until court disposes of criminal cases against him.
By Madinah Tebajjukira and Milton Olupot
PARLIAMENT Speaker Edward Ssekandi has granted a request by former NSSF boss David Chandi Jamwa not to appear before the committee probing the mismanagement of the Fund until court disposes of criminal cases against him.
Jamwa’s lawyer David Mpanga had requested that the investigations by the Parliament committee be harmonised with those of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and the Anti-Corruption Court.
Mpanga contended that issues being handled by the committee could translate into more charges against him in court.
“He (Jamwa) would be disadvantaged if he testified here on oath and he has to face charges over the same accusations. These proceedings should be put off until such a time when we are sure that there are no more such charges to be brought against him,†Mpanga said.
The committee is investigating the Fund’s operations between February 2005 and November 2009 basing on the Auditor General’s report.
Committee chairman Reagan Okumu initially rejected Jamwa’s request, saying the committee had considered the issues before court and would not tackle areas related to the IGG’s case against Jamwa.
After the Speaker granted the request, Okumu announced: “This does not mean that the committee will not continue with its proceedings.â€
Okumu said they would discuss ways of guarding against a re-occurrence of a similar precedent during a meeting under the chairmanship of the Speaker.
Jamwa is facing charges of corruption, abuse of office and causing financial loss of sh2.7b to NSSF.
He was remanded to Luzira Prison on June 22, but was later released on bail.
Jamwa is supposed to appear before the committee to explain his role in the procurement of the information management system, the controversial purchase of 60 vehicles at sh2.5b and $1m (about sh2b) given to Victoria Property Development Ltd.
He is also to explain his role in the sale of government bonds before the maturity date and the Temangalo land saga, among others.
PARLIAMENT Speaker Edward Ssekandi has granted a request by former NSSF boss David Chandi Jamwa not to appear before the committee probing the mismanagement of the Fund until court disposes of criminal cases against him.
Jamwa’s lawyer David Mpanga had requested that the investigations by the Parliament committee be harmonised with those of the Inspector General of Government (IGG) and the Anti-Corruption Court.
Mpanga contended that issues being handled by the committee could translate into more charges against him in court.
“He (Jamwa) would be disadvantaged if he testified here on oath and he has to face charges over the same accusations. These proceedings should be put off until such a time when we are sure that there are no more such charges to be brought against him,†Mpanga said.
The committee is investigating the Fund’s operations between February 2005 and November 2009 basing on the Auditor General’s report.
Committee chairman Reagan Okumu initially rejected Jamwa’s request, saying the committee had considered the issues before court and would not tackle areas related to the IGG’s case against Jamwa.
After the Speaker granted the request, Okumu announced: “This does not mean that the committee will not continue with its proceedings.â€
Okumu said they would discuss ways of guarding against a re-occurrence of a similar precedent during a meeting under the chairmanship of the Speaker.
Jamwa is facing charges of corruption, abuse of office and causing financial loss of sh2.7b to NSSF.
He was remanded to Luzira Prison on June 22, but was later released on bail.
Jamwa is supposed to appear before the committee to explain his role in the procurement of the information management system, the controversial purchase of 60 vehicles at sh2.5b and $1m (about sh2b) given to Victoria Property Development Ltd.
He is also to explain his role in the sale of government bonds before the maturity date and the Temangalo land saga, among others.