Lawyer withdraws sh6b oil cash petition

KAMPALA - Eric Sabiti, a lawyer who filed an application that made Deputy Chief Justice Steven Kavuma to issue the infamous interim order restraining parliament from debating and investigating the sh6b oil tax money, has formally withdrawn his petition.

"I Eric Sabiiti, being the petitioner/applicant in the above matters hereby withdraw the above constitutional petition No.4 of 2017; Sabiiti Eric Vs the Attorney General and constitutional Application No. 6 of 2017," read his withdrawal application filed at the Constitutional Court on Thursday.

The application has been acknowledged by the Attorney General who signed on behalf of government.

Sabiiti's petition was filed following the so-called 'presidential handshake' where selected government officials were awarded part of the sh6b 'in recognition of their efforts' in recovering Capital Gains Tax from Tullow.

In a move to have his main petition heard, Sabiti secured from Kavuma an interim order stopping parliament from further discussing the matter before his case is heard and disposed of, something that infuriated the Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga.

It prompted her to suspend all committees until the order is overturned.

On Wednesday, Sabiiti's law firm apologized to parliament for acquiring the court order and promised to withdraw the case to allow parliament carry on with its mandate of discussing matters of public interest.​