S. Korean envoy accuses Kabafunzaki over $5,000

Embattled. Mr Herbert Kabafunzaki

What you need to know:

  • Accusation. Embattled former minister is alleged to have asked a Korean investor to pay $5000 in order to secure a letter of intent to invest in Uganda.

Kampala: The hard times dogging suspended junior Labour minister Herbert Kabafunzaki seem far from over with the embassy of South Korea now accusing him of detaining their national after he allegedly refused to pay a $5,000 (Shs18m) bribe.
In an April 24 letter to Kampala Central Police Station (CPS) CID chief, and signed by Korean Consul Lee Chunghee, Mr Kabafunzaki is alleged to have asked Mr Woo Junghoon, a Korean investor, to first pay $5000 in order to secure a letter of intent to invest in Uganda.
But Mr Kabafunzaki yesterday dismissed the bribery allegation on phone although he acknowledges the accusers visited his office and looked suspicious, a reason he handed them over to the ministry’s security personnel.
“I have never asked for a bribe from them. First of all, they didn’t know English and did not look like investors. They looked suspicious and I handed them over to security and where they took them it is not my concern,” Mr Kabafunzaki told Daily Monitor on phone.

Mr Woo’s account
Mr Woo reportedly visited Mr Kabafunzaki’s office in the accompany of two Ugandan associates when the minister allegedly demanded the said amount as fees for a job earlier executed, which was writing an introduction for Shinwoo EnM, a company owned by Mr Woo.
“After failing to get the $5,000, Mr Kabafunzaki reportedly handed over Mr Woo and his Ugandan partners to the ministry’s security police, who then took Mr Woo and companions to CPS, a case file opened and statement made by the ministry police on behalf of the minister,” the letter reads in part.
But Mr Kabafunzaki, who expressed surprise, wondered why the police did not investigate him and accused his detractors of taking advantage of his current predicament. “I am surprised because they have never called me to say that I asked for a bribe,” he said.
Consul Chunghee in his letter says he, in the company of other embassy staff and lawyer, visited CPS as soon as they got notification regarding Mr Woo’s arrest.
He states that the suspects were released on police bond after five hours of engagement with the CPS administration.
Ms Jane Okuo Kajuga, the spokesperson for the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP), told Daily Monitor that her office had received the complaint on Monday.
“True we received that letter yesterday [Monday] but we cannot give any other comment better than that [confirmation],” Ms Kajuga said.
In their February 15 letter to Foreign Affairs ministry’s permanent secretary, the Internal Affairs ministry, and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Korean Embassy described Mr Kabafunzaki’s action as regrettable and inappropriate for a high ranking government official.
Mr Asan Kasingye, the police spokesman, says he was not aware of the letter but said it could have been received by police chief Gen Kayihura since it was copied to him.
President Museveni has since suspended Mr Kabafunzaki from his Cabinet duties following accusations of bribery against him pending disposal of the case by court.

Kabafunzaki’s woes

April 5. Mr Kabafunzaki confronts Mr Muhammad Hamid, the Aya Group chairman, over accusations by a female worker of sexual assault.
April 8. Mr Kabafunzaki is arrested at Kampala Serena Hotel over allegations of receiving Shs30m bribe from Mr Hamid, reportedly to help extricate Mr Hamid from accusations of sexual assault. He is whisked off to Nalufenya detention centre where he spends three days.
April 11. Mr Kabafunzaki is arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala and is and formally charged with soliciting and receiving bribe from Mr Hamid. He is remanded to Luzira prison.
April 12. Mr Kabafunzaki is released on bail and ordered to hand over his diplomatic passport and land title to court as one of his bail conditions.
April 14. President Museveni suspends Mr Kabafunzaki from Cabinet, but remains Rubanda constituency MP.
April 24. Mr Kabafunzaki is again accused of soliciting a Shs18m bribe from a Korean Investor Mr Woo Junghoon; a claim he denied yesterday.