Court freezes UNRA accounts

Ms Sarah Kulata Basangwa (L), the commissioner land registry in the ministry of Lands, speaks with lawyers Andrew Kasirye (R) and Mr Severino Twinobusingye during UNRA probe in Kampala last year. File photo

What you need to know:

Payback. The roads agency is accused of destruction of the Sunfish Farms Ltd’s water source

Kampala.

The Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) accounts have been frozen over failure to pay more than a billion shillings in compensation to a fish farm.

The roads agency is accused of destruction of the Sunfish Farms Limited’s water source in 2014 to pave way for construction of the Kampala–Entebbe Expressway.

Mr Muse Musimbi, the registrar of the Execution Division of the High Court, issued the order to attach UNRA accounts in Bank of Uganda for recovery of all the monies owed or held on the two accounts. “It is hereby ordered that all debts owing or accruing from the above named Garnishee (Sunfish Farms Limited) to the above named judgement debtor (UNRA) be attached to satisfy a decree recovered against the said judgement debtor by the decree holder in the High Court for a sum of Shs1,042,644,694,” held the court registrar.

A garnishee is an individual or firm that holds money or property that belongs to a debtor subject to an attachment proceeding by a creditor.

The court has also summoned Bank of Uganda to attend court on Friday for hearing of the application in which Sunfish Farms Limited wants court to compel UNRA to pay amounts due and costs of the proceedings.

The order arose from a partial consent judgement in which UNRA was ordered to pay the money which was approved for compensation for relocation of water springs source at Nakigalala, Kajjansi in Wakiso District, on the Kampala–Entebbe Expressway.

The money resulted from valuation approved in June 2014, computed as loss of income for six months from the time UNRA would take possession of the suit property.

The consent judgement followed mediation in which Sunfish Farms Ltd and UNRA agreed: “Any other disagreed matters in the suit shall be determined by court”.

M/S Sunfish Farm Ltd through its lawyers; Kaddu and Partners sued UNRA for indemnification for loss of business.
Currently, UNRA is facing a judicial probe over its operations. The probe chaired by Lady Justice Catherine Bamugemereire is investigating allegations of abuse of office and corruption at the roads agency.