August 29: The day Byandala will learn his fate

Jul 11, 2018

Former minister Abraham Byandala and his co-accused are battling 23 counts of causing financial loss, abuse of office, theft, obtaining money by false pretense, and others.

KATOSI ROAD SCAM

KAMPALA - The Anti-Corruption Court will on August 29 deliver verdict in a case in which the former works and transport minister, Abraham Byandala and six others, are accused of embezzling sh24.7b meant for the Katosi road project.

The money in question was meant for the upgrade of the Mukono-Katosi road from gravel to paved standard.

The Inspectorate of Government (IG) accuses the individuals of stealing the money.

While summing up the case for the assessors this week, High Court judge Justice Lawrence Gidudu revealed that the judgment will be delivered on August 29 after assessors Vicent Ferrer Okech and Stanley Kurongo have given their opinion on July 27.

Byandala is being accused with former Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) officials Kimeze Ssebbugga, Joe Ssemugooma, Wilberforce Senjako, Isaac Mugote and Apollo Senkeeto alias Mark Kalyesubula.

They are battling 23 counts of causing financial loss, abuse of office, theft, obtaining money by false pretense, uttering false documents, abetting theft and conspiracy to commit a felony.

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Byandala is the former minister of works and transport


Gidudu implored the assessors to critically analyse the evidence of both prosecution and defence for each of the accused so as to advise him on whether or not to convict all of them.

Court records indicate that it is Eutaw Mississippi that sent in a bid for the project, but the contract was awarded to Eutaw Florida.

On November 15, 2013, Eutaw Florida signed an agreement with UNRA under which it undertook to carry out civil works for upgrading the 74km Mukono-Katosi road and an advance payment of sh24.7m, representing 15% of the accepted contract, was paid to it.

According to the charge sheet, Byandala is alleged to have influenced the procurement process that led to the award of tender to Eutaw.

Senkeeto is accused of uttering a false KCB bank bid guarantee for sh1.9b in support of a bid for procurement of the road upgrade.

 

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