Court quashes Cosase probe against Kamya

The High Court in Kampala yesterday quashed Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (Cosase) findings against Inspector General of Government Beti Kamya.

The committee had implicated Ms Kamya, then Lands minister, and Finance Minister Matia Kasaija for their alleged role in a Shs10.6b dubious land compensation.

In his ruling, the head of the Civil Division of the High Court, Justice Musa Ssekaana, said the process that resulted in implicating the duo was flawed.

“The court issues an order of certiorari quashing recommendation (1) of the report; ‘Hon Beti Namisango Kamya Turwomwe, the former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development should be investigated in respect to her participation in the commencement of the Shs10.6 billion payments,” ruled Justice Ssekaana.

Adding: “The same was reached through a flawed analysis and evaluation of evidence that she kicked off the supplementary budget process which is the role mandate and discretion of the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development. The application only succeeds on this ground and I make no order as to costs. I so order.”

But Justice Ssekaana rejected the plea by the former Lands minister that Cosase did not properly and legally evaluate the evidence and the facts presented and that she was not given a fair hearing.

In his ruling, the judge said the Cosase investigations were legally conducted.

Ms Kamya had in her petition argued that Cosase had made an irrational decision to investigate her for the alleged role in “kicking off” the supplementary expenditure process without basis or support of evidence showing the same.

In her affidavit, Ms Kamya claimed she received a letter from the Attorney General and a presidential directive written by the Principal Private Secretary to the President to expedite land compensations.

Case...background 

The Cosase committee, chaired by Nakawa East MP Joel Ssenyonyi found that at least four landowners were wrongfully compensated in various parts of the country while some were ghost claimants.

The committee had noted that Ms Beti Kamya, the then Lands minister, erroneously initiated the supplementary budget to compensate the land claimants yet this was supposed to be done by the Uganda Land Commission.