The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | The Director of Public Prosecution Mike Chibita is investigating city laywer Bob Kasango’s health claims, that have stalled the hearing of the sh15 billion pension case before the Anti-corruption Court against him and three former jailed officials of the Ministry of Public Service, .
Kasango says he is suffering from several complications including heart failure, pneumonia and recurrent blood clot in the lungs for which he wants specialised medical treatment abroad. Kasango who is reportedly admitted at Nakasero Hospital, did not turn up in court for hearing of the Pension Case on Tuesday.
Senior State Attorney Tom Walugembe told presiding Judge Magret Tibulya that they have to investigate his health and come up with a way forward on how to proceed with this matter.
Walugembe then asked Justice Tibulya to adjourn the matter to another date, which the judge did and adjourned the same to February 20 for further hearing.
It is alleged that in 2012 Kasango was paid sh15 billion as legal fees, by former Permanent Secretary Jimmy Lwamafa, Principal Accountant Christopher Obey, Commissioner Compensation Department Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa respectively, yet the money was meant for payment of pension and gratuity to 6,337 ex-civil servants.
It’s further alleged that Kasango together with Milton Mutegeki a High court clerk, forged a certificate of order, costs and taxation against government for the payment of the money.
The payment was in regard to a civil suit involving 6,337 retrenched civil servants in 1998, against government for delayed payment of their pension.
Justice Vincent Kibuuka Musoke in his ruling in 2000 ordered government to pay them 4.5m shillings each, as damages, which totalled to about 28bn shillings.
Lwamafa, Obey and Kunsa are currently serving seven, ten and five years, respectively, in Luzira Prison for causing government a financial loss of Sh88bn by illegally budgeting for NSSF in 2010/2011 and 2011/2012, yet public servants do not pay a social security contribution.
