Justice Lawrence Gidudu of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, has this morning declared Abraham Byandala, the former Uganda Minister of Works and Transport innocent of all the corruption and fraud charges that were alleged in the construction of the Mukono-Katosi Nyenga road.
Gidudu said that it is not established that Byandala knew that the securities, that were put up, were fake in order to trigger the signing of the said contract.
“There is no evidence that the office of the IGG’s letter was served to the Minister, and there is no evidence that the subcontract was ever signed,” Gidudu concluded.
Byandala started his defense in the Ush24b fraud case, allegedly lost in the Mukono-Katosi –Nyenga Road in February this year at the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court.
The Katikamu North legislator, was accused by the Inspectorate General of Government (IGG) of abuse office when he directed Berunado Ssebbugga Kimeze, the then Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) acting Executive Director to sign a contract with Eutaw, a company whose identity was subject to a due diligence report.
Whilst prosecution contended that Byandala interfered with procurement process and contract management, when he issued the said directives to Kimeze — his lawyer Nsubuga Mubiru contended that there is no case here, since under section 7 of the Unra Act, 2006, the minister is mandated to give directions.
More to follow…….
