Kitagwenda MP escapes jail over Shs16m debt

The Kitagwenda County MP in Kamwenge District, Mr Abbas Mugisha in the dock at Buganda Road Court recently. FILE PHOTO

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Prosecution contends that Mr Agaba and others still at large between August 2016 and June 2017 in Lugogo, Kampala, fraudulently obtained Shs90 million from one George Patrick Kasajja purporting that the MP would represent him in court as an advocate and obtained Shs20m again from the same person on June 2, 2017 at Café Mocca along Dewinton Road in Kampala for the same purported reason.

Kampala. The Kitagwenda County MP in Kamwenge District, Mr Abbas Mugisha Agaba, yesterday survived jail for failure to pay a Shs16m debt.
Mr Agaba was arrested by bailiffs on orders of the High Court’s Execution Division Registrar, Mr Deo Ninzeyimana.
The bailiffs arrested the legislator, who subscribes to the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court where he had gone to answer another case.

Mr Agaba was presented before court presided over by Mr Ninzeyimana where he paid Shs10m in cash and signed a postdated cheque of Shs6.5 million before he was released.
According to the warrant of arrest, Mr Agaba was adjudged by court in March 2016 to pay fellow MP Herbert Kabafunzaki, Shs15.5m he acquired from the latter as a loan.

Arrest warrant
“These are to command you to arrest Mr Agaba, the judgement debtor unless the judgement debtor pays to you the sum of Shs15,513,511 together with Shs…. for costs of executing this process, to bring the said Mr Agaba before the court with all convenient speed,” reads the court arrest order.
In a telephone interview, Mr Agaba denied the arrest and insisted the case was settled.
“I was in court today for another matter, which already exists, and the issue of Kabafunzaki was some time ago but I am wondering where you got this from,” he said yesterday.

Two months ago, 39-year-old Agaba was taken to court and charged with obtaining more than Shs100m by false pretence.
Prosecution contends that Mr Agaba and others still at large between August 2016 and June 2017 in Lugogo, Kampala, fraudulently obtained Shs90 million from one George Patrick Kasajja purporting that the MP would represent him in court as an advocate and obtained Shs20m again from the same person on June 2, 2017 at Café Mocca along Dewinton Road in Kampala for the same purported reason.
Mr Agaba denied all the charges but he was released on bail after depositing in court Shs2m cash.