By Spy Uganda
Kampala: Mubarak Munyagwa the Chairperson of Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) has lost attempts to block the corruption charges against him.
Spy Uganda has learnt that Ms Pamella Lamunu the Chief Magistrate of the Anti-Corruption Court dismissed Munyagwa’s application to block his trial on grounds that the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had no right to institute corruption offenses against him.
However Lamunu and the DPP pinned Munyagwa that his criminal offences were committed against the State and not individuals, adding that the DPP is not moved by a letter written to him by the complainant Francis Kakumba, expressing loss of interest in the pending criminal matter.
Court ordered Mr Munyagwa to plea on November 4 to continue with three corruption charges.
Under count one of corruption, prosecution states that in December 2014 at Haks Investment Limited, being a Mayor Kawempe Division, Mr Munyagwa solicited for a gratification of Shs100m from Mr Francis Kakumba in exchange for him to exert improper influence over Kawempe Division Urban Council to nominate Muyanja Isaac ( S/O Francis Kavuma) for appointment as a member of Kampala City Land Board representing Kawempe Division.
In count two which is also corruption, Mr Munyagwa in the same year is also accused of receiving a gratification of $ 20000 an evaluate of about Shs73million from Mr Kakumba in exchange for him to exert improper influence over Kawempe Division Urban Council to nominate Isaac Muyanja (S/O Kakumba).
Mr Munyagwa in count three which is also corruption in the same year is accused of receiving a gratification of Shs4million from Mr Kakumba in exchange for him to exert improper influence over the Kawempe Division Urban Council to nominate Mr Muyanja (S/O Kakumba) for appointment as a member of Kampala City Land Board representing Kawempe Division.
However in March this year, Mr Munyagwa through his Lawyers of Lukwago and Company Advocates also filed an application seeking to challenge the said charges in the Constitutional court, arguing that resurrecting the case after abandoning it for over four years was inconsistent with the constitution, more so when the complainant lost interest in the case.
“In light of the withdrawal by the complainant, I through my lawyers of Lukwago & Co. Advocates wrote a letter dated February 20, 2019 requesting DPP to invoke his powers under Article 120 of constitution to discontinue the said charges against me but all in vain,” Mr Munyagwa says
Mr Munyagwa asserts that on the face of the charge sheets, grave inconsistencies are exhibited and that the act of the DPP to continue prosecuting him is basing on the same is in bad faith.
