PS Muhakanizi, deputy face arrest over Shs6b
Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
Suit. Court issued a warrant of arrest for the officials after a businessman sued the Attorney General demanding compensation following the destruction of his ranches.
Kampala. Court has ordered bailiffs to arrest the Secretary to the Treasury, Mr Keith Muhakanizi, over noncompliance to court orders.
The High Court in FortPortal before Justice David Batema also issued the arrest warrant against Mr Muhakanizi’s deputy, Mr Patrick Ocailap, over failure to comply with compelling orders to pay more than Shs6.3 billion.
“This is to command you to serve this warrant to the said officers for them to pay the said sums and failure of which you cause the arrest of the said officers and produce them before this court to show cause why they should not be committed to civil prison,” the warrant reads in part.
“And unless they pay the said sum of Shs6.3b together with costs of executing, this process will bring the said office of the defendant (Attorney General) before the court with all convenient speed,” the warrant further states.
The court order resulted from a 2011 case in which businessman Eulogio Mulindwa Rusoke sued the Attorney General for compensation of his ranches which were destroyed and encamped upon by the UPDF between 1997 and 1998.
Through his lawyers, Mr Rusoke argued that he incurred loss of property and developments on the ranch.
“You are further commanded to return this warrant on or before October 18, 2016 with an endorsement certifying the day on which and manner in which it has been executed or the reason why it has not been executed,” Justice Batema ordered.
The judge held that the UPDF has a Constitutional duty to protect the lives and property of its citizens at all times and if it fails and or participates in destruction, it makes government liable.
Promises to pay
When contacted, Mr Muhakanizi said he said he was aware of the order of arrest.
“I know about the court directive compelling me to pay the said monies which I have not refused to do, I have so many court orders I am still working on and when money is available I will pay,” Mr Muhakanizi said in telephone interview.
