The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Jinja Resident District Commissioner Erick Sakwa has applied for a Judicial review of his interdiction.
Sakwa was interdicted on May, 4 2020 but has since declined to vacate office on account the interdiction was fake and had loopholes in its delivery. The interdiction came days after Sakwa was charged with malicious damage, manslaughter and theft.
The prosecution alleged that Sakwa, alongside Bazimbyewa Bumali alias Chris Umar Dindodi, a resident of Mafubira Zone C and businessman Mohammed Simba alias Meddie stole three crates of beer, 80,000 Shillings, eight trays of eggs, sachets of empire waragi and soda valued at Shillings 429,000.
The merchandise belonged to one Charles Isanga, a trader who was beaten up for disregarding presidential directives against COVID-19. Isanga succumbed to the injuries he sustained in the attack a few days later.
In the aftermath, Hajji Yunus Kakande, the Secretary in the Office of the president asked Sakwa to step aside in line with provisions of the public service standing orders. By virtue of the interdiction, Sakwa was barred from exercising the powers and functions of the RDC and stopped from leaving the country without clearance from the president. During this time, he will be earning half of his salary.
But Sakwa says that the treatment he is being subjected to is inhumane and unjust. In his application filed against Hajji Yunus Kakande and the Attorney General in the Jinja High Court, Sakwa states that the alleged interdiction does not specify authorization from his appointing authority.
The application further states that interdiction on grounds of any form of criminal charges was not listed in the terms and conditions of his appointment letter dated October 17, 2018.
Sakwa’s lawyer, Evans Ochieng explains that the interdiction letter was delivered by unidentified persons who later fled his office and adds that the appointing authority should follow rightful procedures while executing disciplinary measures against public officers.
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