Former Works and Transport Minister Abraham James Byandala, together with other suapects; former UNRA acting executive director Eng. Berunado Ssebbugga Kimeze, Joe Ssemugooma- the former UNRA director of Finance and Administration and Marvin Baryaruha-the former UNRA Legal Director are expected to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court Judge Lawrence Gidudu for defence hearing into the Katosi road scam.
The case was on Monday deferred to today, after Peter Mulira, a representative of Apollo Senkeeto alias Mark Kalyesubula, a key suspect in the case failed to show up. The judge told the court that Mulira had requested for a two-hour delay to enable him to handle some administrative matters.
Senkeeto is charged with former Works and Transport Minister Abraham James Byandala, former UNRA acting executive director Eng. Berunado Ssebbugga Kimeze, Joe Ssemugooma- the former UNRA director of Finance and Administration and Marvin Baryaruha-the former UNRA Legal Director, for the 2014 Katosi Road scam that resulted in a financial loss of 24.7 billion Shillings for the Government of Uganda.
The prosecution alleges that Byandala abused his office when he directed the immediate signing of a contract between the Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA and an American firm EUTAW Construction Co. Inc, in November 2013 to upgrade Mukono-Kyetume-Katosi-Nyenga road in Mukono and Buikwe Districts. The project was valued at 165 billion Shillings.
Subsequently, UNRA made an advance payment of 24 billion Shillings to Eutaw and commenced works on Byandala's directive.
Uganda National Roads Authority-UNRA later terminated the multi-billion road contract upon establishing that the company entered into a contract under false pretext, that it lacked the capacity to conduct the road works and its contract was signed without a valid performance guarantee.
But Byandala, according to the Inspector General of Government, ordered for the continuation of the works by Chongqing International Construction Company, a firm subcontracted by EUTAW despite the termination by UNRA. He is now charged with abuse of office, causing financial loss to the government and disobeying lawful orders.
Apollo Senkeeto alias Mark Kalyesubula, who was acting as a country representative of Eutaw Construction Company is charged with two counts of obtaining money by false pretence, six counts of uttering false documents, two counts of obtaining execution of security by false pretence and one count of conspiracy to defraud the government.
The Anti-Corruption Court on October 16 ruled that all the suspects have a case to answer in regard to their role in the scam and they were supposed to start defending themselves on Monday.
