Court bailiffs impound gov’t vehicle distributing PLE exams in Gulu

Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  |  Court bailiffs on Monday impounded a vehicle that was being used to distribute Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) papers to schools within Gulu Municipality.   

The Pick-Up Double Cabin registration number LG-001117 attached to the Town Clerk`s office was the only vehicle transporting papers to thirty examination Centers within the municipality.   

But Falcon X Auctioneers and Bailiffs led by Richard Ouma stormed the municipal yard where the vehicle was temporally parked and impounded it arguing that it was attached over unpaid 18 million shillings.   

Ouma told URN from the scene on Monday that Gulu Municipal Council attached the vehicle among its properties after losing a court battle to Sam Otim, a resident of Gulu Town.  In 2013 Otim won a civil suit 71/2013 against the municipality who had demolished his pit latrines in Pece Division during a municipal road`s opening.   

Court in January 31st 2018 ruled that Gulu Municipal Council pays Otim 30 million shillings in compensation of the damage caused within the months of October, November and December 2018.   The municipal council had however only paid 12 million shillings in October last year leaving a balance of 18 million shillings.  Ouma told URN that the Municipal Council had failed to clear the remaining balance to date prompting them into actions of impounding some of its attached properties which included the vehicle.  

Edward Kiwanuka Gwavu, the Gulu Municipal Town Clerk rushed at the municipal yard while the vehicle was already in custody of the bailiffs for several hours as other councilors demanded that it must not be taken.   

Kiwanuka pleaded with the bailiffs to release the vehicle to help serve the candidates citing that the payment was only delayed by the new system of Integrated Financial Management System which requires authorization from the central government.   

The vehicle was later released after two hours following the Town Clerk`s plea who pledged that the council will effect payment anytime this year.  Fiona Atim, the Gulu Municipal Inspector of schools said the process of reclaiming the vehicle greatly delayed disbursement of exams papers to some of the schools.  

PLE commenced across the country on Monday with candidates sitting Mathematics and Science papers.

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URN