Court to decide MP Watongola’s fate today

The Court of Appeal will today pronounce itself on another election appeal filed by Kamuli Municipality MP Rehema Tiwuwe Watongola against FDC’s Proscovia Salaamu Musumba.

Watongola appealed against Jinja High Court decision by Justice Geoffrey Namundi that nullified Watongola’s election in June last year, on grounds that she had no academic papers.

Justice Namundi ruled that Watongola failed to explain her papers yet Busoga University whom she claims to have awarded them had disowned her.

Dissatisfied, she ran to Court of Appeal maintaining that she has the  papers but that its the trial judge who did not properly evaluate the evidence on record, and arrived at a wrong conclusion.

Three Court of Appeal Justices Richard Buteera, Cheborion Barishaki and Paul Mugamba then heard the submissions of Watongola and Salaam Musumba who supported her claim with the affidavit of Busoga University Vice Chancellor David Kibikyo.

The vice chancellor stated that in June 2005 the period in which Watongola claims to have been awarded a certificate in Public Administration and Management, Busoga University had not started offering this course, and that they even went ahead to revoke Watongola’s Diploma and Degree  that she had attained in the same discipline, using the forged certificate.

Musumba also revealed that there was a criminal charge against Watongola in respect of the same document before Iganga Magistrate court,  but she never appeared  in court until the case was dismissed for want of prosecution.

The parties together with their lawyers Isabirye and Company Advocates have already been served with the judgement notice.

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editor@independent.co.ug