Arrest warrant issued for FDC’s Muyanga over failure to pay court fines
Former MP contestant Simon Muyanga Lutaaya
What you need to know:
- Mr Muyanga said he is aware of the arrest warrant issued against him over court costs arising from election petition of High Court and Court of Appeal.
Jinja High Court has issued an arrest warrant to former aspirant for Bulamongi Constituency Member of Parliament seat, Mr Simon Muyanga Lutaaya of FDC over failure to pay a court fine of Shs153 million.
Mr Muyanga filed the election petition contesting the ruling National Resistance Movement party (NRM)'s Kenneth Lubogo’s victory but he lost both cases at Jinja High Court and Court of Appeal.
On Wednesday, Jinja High Court deputy registrar, Mr Jesse Byaruhanga issued the arrest warrant after Muyanga allegedly failed to honour court summons which he (Byaruhanga) describes a contempt of court.
Addressing journalists at Jinja High Court, Lubogo’s lawyer Mr Hassan Kamba said Mr Muyanga was supposed to appear in Court on Wednesday to show cause why he should not be arrested, whether he is bankrupt after failure to pay the court fines but he did not show up.
According to the warrant of arrest, Muyanga is supposed to be arrested, sent to Kirinya prison or Nalufenya and his property sold off to recover the money.
When contacted, Mr Muyanga said he is aware of the arrest warrant issued against him over court costs arising from election petition of High Court and Court of Appeal.
“I’m aware of that bill but I appealed the sum. I want it addressed and sorted out because it is too high. Unfortunately when the court convened today [Wednesday], the judge indicated that he has not seen the appeal yet it had been duly signed by Court and acknowledged receipt of our appeal,’’ he said.
Mr Muyanga said: “I filed the appeal on Monday but the court deputy registrar has been out of office. He has been in workshops. He said he was going to meet us on Wednesday at 9am but he failed to keep time. He arrived when it was approaching midday yet my lawyer had another case to attend to before Justice Ouma Oguli but he went ahead to issue the arrest warrant,” he added.
He is being represented by Counsel Medard Lubega Ssegona, Asuman Nyonyintono, John Matovu, Chrysostom Katumba and others.
He lost the first case in Jinja High Court on August 19, 2016 and on November 22, 2017 he lost the second in the Court of Appeal.
