DPP drops case against former Red Cross boss

KAMPALA. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has withdrawn corruption charges against former Uganda Red Cross Society boss Micheal Richard Nataka after three years in court.
The chief government prosecutor communicated his decision in a letter of November 14 to the Anti-Corruption Court at Kololo.
“This is to inform court that the Director of Public Prosecutions has decided to discontinue proceedings against Nataka Micheal Richard, charged with two counts of abuse of office,” the DPP letter reads in part.
Mr Nataka was facing two counts of abuse of office. He was accused of making false declarations, illegal transportation and taxation evasion for a motor vehicle using the privileges accorded to Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS).
It was alleged that between February and June 2013, Mr Nataka imported goods worth between Shs500m and Shs800m using URCS name.
The prosecution had alleged that the goods were found at his home in Munyonyo, a Kampala suburb.
The DPP had alleged that Mr Nataka imported a Toyota Tundra belonging to an individual in the same container of a URCS consignment, which is tax exempted, in order to benefit from the URCS freight privileges.