Witnesses disown former Oyam North MP

Witnesses tendered before the High Court in Lira by former Oyam North Member of Parliament Krispus Ayena Odongo to testify in a corruption case he filed against leaders of War Claimants group, Moses Ocip and Emmy Joe Odongo disowned him in court prompting the Judge to dismiss his case with cost.

Ayena had filed an application in court seeking court orders to compel Ocip and his group to show him records of how they have been using billions of shillings government has been releasing to compensate war claimants.

Ocip and Odongo represented over 4000 war claimants in legal battles against government for the livestock lost to Karimojong and rebel groups during the 20 year insurgencies in northern Uganda.

Accordingly the court went in their favour and government started remitting money for the compensation of the members every financial year, but Ayena filed an application alleging that the money never reached the real beneficiaries and therefore Ocip and the group should make public; records of how people were paid.

But dramatically the witnesses including Betty Adupa, Christine Akullo, Joyce Ewuc, Molly Achola, Alice Okuja, Margaret Okello and Lucy Angom whom he lined up to testify before High Court Judge Dr. Winifred Nabisinde disowned him before the judge saying they don't know Ayena.

The witnesses who were cross examined by five lawyers led by Mike Abwang Otim of Abwang Otim and Company advocates said they were surprised to find themselves in court as witnesses yet Ayena never contacted them.

"We are not party to the petition tendered by Ayena before this court because the petitioner did not contact us to testify on behalf of the 4,000 claimants who were paid through Moses Ocip and Emmy Joe Odongo," one of the claimants said in a court that took place on Monday.

She said she had no complaints against Ocip and Odongo because ever since the case was concluded her payments have been coming through her account every financial year.   

Nabisinde who presided over this case was then prompted to dismiss Ayena's case with cost; saying it lacks evidence and coordination between Ayena and the people he claims to be representing.

She wondered how Ayena could file a petition on behalf of the 4.000 but claimants without their approval.

But Ayena insisted that the seven witnesses were part of the 4.000 people whose compensation he alleged did not go well with Ocip.

Ayena who is also the defense lawyer to LRA Dominic Ongwen in the Hague based International Criminal Court and a former legal adviser to LRA leader  Joseph Kony told reporters that he was not satisfied with the judge's ruling and that he would file an appeal at an appropriate time.