Basajjabalaba granted bail

By Anne Mugisa and Arithea Nakiwala

The Anti-corruption Court has granted beleagured businessman Hassan Basajjabalaba cash bail sh60m while his five sureties were bonded at sh20b not cash. 

Chief Magistrate, Irene Akankwasa granted bail to the beleaguered businessman, saying there was no evidence he snubbed Police summons over charges of forging a consent judgment, as the prosecution had said.

She noted that although the Police issued summons, they should have been served to the suspect.

Akankwasa also rejected assertions by the State that Basajjabalaba was running away on the day he was arrested at Entebbe Airport.

“He should be given chance to benefit from bail, but with stringent conditions,” she said. Akankwasa also ordered Basajjabalaba to deposit his passport with court.

Basajjabalaba is accused of forging a consent judgment which shielded him from paying sh20.1bn in taxes accruing from his sh142bn compensation for city markets.

Prosecution on Wednesday opposed Basajjabalaba’s bail application, saying he was likely to flee the country.