Court acquits Col Bantariza
Col Shaban Bantariza (R) hugging his lawyer Frank Kanduho at the general court martial in Makindye on Tuesday shortly after he was acquitted. PHOTO BY MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
KAMPALA. The General Court Martial at Makindye has acquitted former deputy director Uganda Media Centre, Col Shaban Bantariza of fraud related charges on grounds that prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.
Bantariza who was relaxed all through the 20-minutues judgment session on Tuesday was first arrested and charged in 2013 with 7 offences which included misappropriation resources, forgery, conspiracy to defraud, ill-treatment of a subordinate and misconduct.
However, five charges were dismissed on a ruling of no case to answer and was left with two counts where state alleged that he received a tractor as a donation from ministry of finance but purported to have bought it at Shs67m.
“Prosecution failed to call any witnesses from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning to prove that indeed the tractor was a donation to the institution,” ruled Maj.Gen.Levi Karuhanga the General Court Martial Chairman adding on that “Not even anyone from Akamba Uganda Limited was presented in court to prove the movement of the same to Kyankwanzi.”
