Otafiire sued over failure to pay lawyers Shs1O3m
Justice and Constitutional Affairs minister Kahinda Otafiire
Kampala. The minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Maj Gen Kahinda Otafiire, has been summoned in court over alleged failure to pay his lawyers more than Shs103m.
Maj Gen Otafiire allegedly hired the services of Kanyeihamba & Company Advocates to transact legal matters on behalf of his minerals’ company, Mineral Point Uganda Ltd but allegedly failed to pay them.
The minister is scheduled to appear in court on April 24.
The decision to summon Gen Otafiire was reached after the head of Civil Division, Mr Stephen Musota, last week heard and granted an application filed by Kanyeihamba & Co Advocates to have their bill of costs taxed before the Registrar of the court.
Mr Emmanuel Orono, a lawyer from Kanyeihamba & Co Advocates argued that while Otafiire’s side was not represented in court, it was notified that they were served with a hearing notice.
To that effect, the court ordered the minister to appear before the Registrar of the High Court, Civil Division, Mr Festo Nsenga, to witness the taxation of the bill of costs.
Prof George Kanyeihamba, the managing partner of the law firm in question, states in the affidavit that the minister approached the company on January 18, 2012 and engaged them as his lawyers on a retainer fee of Shs2 million per month.
