Forestry boss Akankwasa sent to Luzira Prison

Kampala

Suspended Executive Director of the National Forestry Authority Damian Akankwasa, has been remanded at Luzira Prison over allegations that he influenced a questionable payment of $1,612,171 (about Shs3.4 billion) by the forestry body to businessmen.

Mr Akankwasa, who is jointly accused with the NFA Legal Officer Molly Karuhanga and two others, were charged before Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate Francis Dawa Matenga on Friday.

He denied the charges and he was remanded until April 1 after the magistrate said his court lacks powers to grant him bail.

The other accused are NFA Range Manager Lueben Arinaitwe and Mr Charles Twagira, a shareholder in Beachside Development Services Ltd, a the business concern that allegedly received money from the forest body.

The same court on Thursday (March 18) remanded Mr Ariniaitwe who appeared jointly with Mr Twagira. The court however released Mr Twagira on a cash bail of Shs1m. He was also ordered to deposit a land title.

The accusation
Prosecution alleges that Mr Akankwasa and Ms Karuhanga between April and September 2009 without authority committed NFA and Beachside Development Services Ltd into a consent judgement in which damages worth about Shs3.4b were awarded against the forestry body.

Mr Akankwasa is a state witness in a separate case in which it is alleged that his estranged wife, Juliet Akankwasa, stole Shs900 million from him.

He was in October last year suspended by President Museveni to pave way for an investigation into the source of the Shs900 million which was reportedly stolen from his matrimonial home in Naguru, Kampala.