Judgment on Katosi road scam today

The High Court will today deliver the judgment on former Works minister Abraham Byandala, who is accused of causing financial loss of Shs24.7 billion in the bungled Mukono-Katosi road contract.

The judgment will be delivered by Justice Lawrence Gidudu of the Anti-Corruption Court at Kololo, a Kampala suburb.
Mr Byandala is jointly charged with businessman Apolo Senkeeto, alias Mark Kalyesubula, who was the country representative of Eutaw Construction company.

The company was accused of fleecing Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) of Shs24.7b.
Other suspects are former UNRA acting executive director Berunado Sebugga Kimeze, former UNRA director of finance and administration Joe Ssemugooma, former UNRA regional accountant Mr Wilberforce Senjako and Mr Isaac Mugote (former staff of Housing Finance Bank).

IGG’s case
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) states that Mr Byandala, while he was still Works minister, abused his office on November 14, 2013 when he directed the immediate signing of the contract between UNRA and Eutaw yet the company lacked capacity to carry out the road works.

Prosecution further contends that on August 27, 2014, Mr Byandala ordered the continuation of the Katosi road works by Chongqing International Construction Company contrary to the IGG’s earlier directives.
It is contended that this act amounted to disobeyed lawful orders.

The IGG states that Mr Kimeze abused his office when he signed a contract with Eutaw without establishing whether there was a valid performance guarantee and proceeded to issue a payment guarantee which allowed disbursement of the Shs24.7b to the company, which compromised UNRA’s interests.

Mr Kimeze is jointly charged with Mr Semugooma in a separate case of causing financial loss to the government by approving the payment to Eutaw despite glaring defects in the due-diligence report.