State halts deportation of Dubai businessman
Mr Sami addresses journalists on Saturday. Photo by Geoffrey Sseruyange.
What you need to know:
Mr Sami still has a case against the government, which he accuses of failing to pay him after it hired his aircrafts to hunt down Kony in late 2008.
State House has stopped the Ministry of Internal Affairs from deporting a Dubai-based businessman over a pending case he has against the government.
Mr Haroun Eisa Sami, a director of the United Arab Emirates based aviation firm, Stream Aviation, a Free Zone Company, sued the government over pay for chartered flights offered to the Ministry of Defence four years ago.
“His Excellency the President has received a petition from Mr Sami Haroun Eisa who alleges that he is being threatened with deportation by some immigration officials. We have established that police is carrying out an investigation that involves Sami and others,” reads part of the letter signed by Mr Bashir Kalenge, for the principal private secretary to President Museveni.
According to the February 27 letter to the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Internal Affairs, State House has since learnt Mr Sami’s case against the government has not yet been disposed of.
“We have further established that Sami holds a Republic of Uganda passport. This is of significant importance to our office,” reads part of the letter.
Mr Sami is seeking for payment of chartered flights during the Operation Lightning Thunder that hunted down rebel leader Joseph Kony.
He alleges that the government hired his aircrafts at a charter price of $75,000 per flight between December 2008 and January 2009 between Entebbe airport and Dungo in Congo and Nzara in South Sudan for UPDF worth $2.8m.
The intervention by State House followed the arrest of Mr Sami by Immigration officials in February this year.
‘Not aware’
However, Dr Stephen Kagoda, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, yesterday said he was not aware of the case.
“I am yet to inquire about the matter,” Mr Kagoda said.
A February 22 document indicates that Mr Maowia Osman Khalid Mohammed of the Embassy of Sudan stood surety for Mr Sami to be granted bond.
Mr Sami, who addressed journalists in Kampala on Saturday, urged the immigration department not to issue a deportation order until his case is finalised.
