New twists in Kemigisa-Kasango money case

City lawyer Bob Kasango is assisting detectives in trying to establish the author of a forged letter at the heart of a criminal scam in which Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisa was allegedly defrauded of large sums of money.

Mr Kasango represented the Queen Mother in collecting Shs3.9b from government for 11 plots of land in Tooro. The Permanent Secretary in the Lands Ministry, Mr Gabindadde-Musoke wrote to Mr Kasango’s law firm, Hall and Partners, confirming the payment.

However, documents seen by this newspaper indicate that the Queen Mother was given a forged version of Mr Gabindadde-Musoke’s letter indicating that the government had paid significantly less money and still owed the Queen Mother billions more.

The forgery was discovered a few weeks ago when lawyers from Kasirye and Byaruhanga Company Advocates, who were retained by the Queen Mother in February 2010 to follow up the “arrears”, presented the forged letter to government seeking payment for Shs1,355,878,250.

Presented with a forged version of his letter, Mr Gabindadde-Musoke wrote back to Kasirye and Byaruhanga on June 22 pointing out that payment had been made in full to the Queen Mother.

“I am therefore taking the liberty of copying this letter to the Inspector General of Police for him to take an interest in your document.”

Legal battle
Mr Kasango was arrested last week and has been interrogated in connection with the forged letter which Kasirye and Byaruhanga say was handed to them by the Queen Mother.

Mr Kasango has admitted to receiving all the money due to the Queen Mother and this newspaper has obtained documents that show Hall and Partners was given Shs3,358,619,000 on November 24, 2008 and a final payment of Shs12,431,000 on March 14, 2009.

Mr Kasango, who denies forging the letter, admits that he did not pay all the money to the Queen Mother, but told Daily Monitor that he paid all that was due to her. Documents seen by this newspaper show that Mr Kasango paid out Shs2.295 billion in favour of Ms Kemigisa. He said his legal fees were in excess of Shs1b.

“Where do I get the guts to steal from the Queen Mother?” Mr Kasango asked. “She knows I paid her. I have evidence that I paid her.”
Mr Kasango told Daily Monitor that Mr William Byaruhanga, a partner in Kasirye and Byaruhanga, was behind his current woes due to an old feud.

“He is using Andrew Kasirye and the Queen Mother to further his cause to destroy me. Kasirye is a senior lawyer. The queen mother is an institution of the kingdom. For them to be used by Byaruhanga for such an enterprise leaves a lot to be desired. I have never seen that letter nor have I ever been in possession of such,” he said.

Mr Byaruhanga was not available for comment but his partner, Mr Kasirye denied the allegations against his colleague. “I am professional,” Mr Kasirye said. “We have instructions from the Queen Mother and so we speak for her. All we want is Kasango to pay back the money.”

The Queen Mother was not available for comment and her known telephones have been switched off all week while those of her personal assistant go unanswered.

Where is she?
Mr Kasango said he is bitter the Queen Mother has not come out to defend him. “The Queen Mother was not only my client, she was my friend. And I believe she is goodhearted. Why is she not coming out to defend me from Byaruhanga? She has allowed herself to be brought to the kitchen. I hope she can take the heat,” he said.

“As it stands, I am finished but when we go to court, I will defend myself. I will not need a lawyer. I will pursue this to my grave. They should be prepared because I am going to say some not too good things about this transaction before court.”