Bukenya: I am ready for life in jail

The Anti-Corruption Court was the scene of tears and drama as former Vice President Gilbert Bukenya was sent to Luzira Prison after he was committed to the High Court for trial and his bail cancelled. Prof. Bukenya is charged with abuse of office for his role in the award of a deal worth Shs9.4b to supply 204 executive vehicles four years ago during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting to Motorcare.

Despite protests from Prof. Bukenya’s lawyer, Mr MacDusman Kabega, challenging the powers of the Inspector General of Government to commit his client, Magistrate Irene Akankwasa cancelled his bail and sent him to Luzira. “The accused person is hereby committed to High Court. His bail elapses and he is remanded to custody,” held Ms Akankwasa.
Hit by the reality of prison, Prof. Bukenya broke down, tears rolling down his cheeks.

On his Facebook page, in a comment posted minutes later, Prof. Bukenya cut a forlorn image: “My friends, I have been remanded to Luzira Prison as I have been committed to the High Court and my bail has been cancelled. However, my co-accused of Motorcare have been released without taking any plea and at no conditions. I will now start a new Prison chapter in Life and with your prayers, God will intervene.”

With Prof. Bukenya’s fate known, his supporters, who had thronged court, engaged security operatives in a heated exchange over which car the politician was to be transported in to prison. Court business came to a halt for about an hour as the head of the Very Important Persons Protection Unit (VIPPU), Mr Laban Muhabwe, struggled with Prof. Bukenya’s driver to retrieve the politician’s car keys.

Prof. Bukenya’s supporters were concerned that after the ruling, he had been taken to the court registry and not into a holding cell awaiting prison transport. It later emerged that security agents wanted him transported in his personal car, a development that angered his supporters further.

“Stop duping us that you now care after putting our man down. You have achieved what you wanted now use the prison car and not his personal vehicle, who is going to pay for the fuel?” and angry aide shouted at security officials. Later, with the intervention of a senior prisons official, Prof. Bukenya, who was Vice President for eight years before he was dropped this year, was driven to Luzira Prisons in his car but escorted by prisons and police vehicles.

In the case, the IGG says Prof. Bukenya, who chaired the Chogm Cabinet subcommittee between July 2006 and November 2007 in Kampala, unlawfully and high handedly in abuse of his office, influenced and directed the award of a contract for supply of 80 units of BMW police outrider motorcycles for CHOGM to Motorcare in total disregard of the regulations governing public procurement.

Prof. Bukenya, who had been granted a cash bail of Shs50 million and had deposited his passport with court, is jointly charged with Motorcare Uganda, the company that was awarded the Shs9.4 billion Chogm cars contract. Yesterday, court released two Motorcare company officials; Ms Florence Ssempebwa and Mr Moses Banturaki, without taking plea and without pre-conditions despite submission that they were appointed to represent the company.

The two company officials had earlier been rejected by Magistrate Sarah Langa who summoned the company directors and chief executives. Ms Akankwasa, who earlier ordered the remand of the officials, revised her order to release them after their lawyer said that despite representing the company, the charge was against Motorcare Uganda.