Nyombi accused of causing loss

MPs say the Attorney General was wrong to handle President Museveni’s case.

MPs have accused Attorney General Peter Nyombi of causing a financial loss to taxpayers in a case in London involving President Museveni and former newspaper publisher, Dr Jesse Mashate.

Trouble started after Mr Martin Kihembo, the Uganda Property Holdings Limited (UPHL) chief executive, rejected claims by Mr Nyombi that it was the Attorney General’s office that hired external lawyers who successfully salvaged the government properties from attachment by Dr Mashate in London.

While Mr Nyombi reiterated that his office paid millions in legal fees to lawyers Edwin Coe LLP and Kampala Associated Advocates (KAA), Mr Kihembo produced documents before the committee of Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, showing that it was UPHL that hired lawyers to salvage the assets. “It was the President who drew my attention to this matter barely two weeks after I took office, the best person to explain is my predecessor,” Mr Nyombi said.

But Shadow Justice minister Medard Ssegona and Shadow Attorney General Abdul Katuntu reminded Mr Nyombi that it was him and the new Solicitor General, Mr Francis Atoke, who signed a disputed £1.3 million (aboutShs52 billion) deal with a group of city lawyers, KAA, allegedly to assist Edwin Coe LLP on the case.

Mr Katuntu said in the recruitment of KAA, there was no value addition apart from “influence peddling” and “tattling”, adding that Mr Nyombi committed the country unnecessarily in a case where President Museveni should have defended himself as a person.

It is also not clear why KAA lawyers were paid more than the main lawyer. Edwin Coe LLP is supposed to be paid £188,000 (Shs72m). Mr Kihembo said they got involved in the case: Jesse Mashate Vs. Yoweri Museveni Kaguta after obtaining reliable information in April 2011 that the properties under its management in London could be attached. The IGG is also investigating the matter.

ymugerwa@ug.nationmedia.com