Lawyers pull out of Kazinda's case

 By Edward Anyoli       

Lawyers representing the interdicted principal accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister have abandoned their client at the start of his trial over sh316m loss.

MacDosman Kabega and Tom Magezi Tuesday walked out on Geoffrey Kazinda after court declined to grant them an adjournment. The trial had been scheduled for two consecutive days.

Kabega had requested court for adjournment to enable him and his colleague Magezi to study the file for adequate preparation but the Anti- Corruption Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Irene Akankwasa declined to grant the request.

“For that matter, Magezi and I have no option but to withdraw our presentation in this matter,” Kabega said before walking out of the court.

Kazinda looked helpless after the lawyers announced their request and asked court to allow him hire another lawyer but Akankwasa said   his new lawyer would read the record of proceedings to cross- examine state witnesses.

State attorneys Paul Lakidi and David Bisamunyu had presented the first prosecution witness Wiberforce Kibuka, a driver in the Office of the Prime Minister to testify.

 Kazinda is jointly facing charges of abuse of office, embezzlement, false accounting, forgery and conspiracy to commit a felony with three other people.

The other accused include: Martin Owor commissioner for relief disaster preparedness in the Office of the Prime Minister, Beatrice Kezabu assistant resettlement officer and Hussein Katumwa station manager of Total Ntinda I Service Station.

Within 30 minutes break, the Magistrate adjourned the case to May20 and 24 after other lawyers Precious Ngabirano, Abas Nsamba Matouvu, Ahmed Kalule and Farouk Kamulegeya argued that proceeding with trial without Kazinda’s advocate will also affect the entire trial.

Kazinda is facing other separate charges of forgery before Justice David Wangutusi of the Anti- Corruption High Court.

Prosecution alleges that Kazinda, Owor, and Kezabu being employed in the Prime Minister’s office abused their offices when they allegedly misappropriated sh316, 893,456 meant for procurement of fuel and lubricant for motor vehicles.

The vehicles were meant to deliver relief food from central relief stores to disaster victims in various part of the country. The accused allegedly conspired to steal money for fuel.

Prosecution also said the three accused persons conspired with Katumwa, a fuel manager of total Ntinda1 Service Station to steal.