The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) her lordship Jane Frances Abodo is determined to bring justice to owners of defunct banks; International Credit Bank (ICB), Greenland Bank and Cooperative Bank whose properties were taken over and sold by Bank of Uganda dubiously.
The DPP had last week ordered police to round up, question and search the homes of a city lawyer and two former officials of the Central Bank; Dr. Louis Kasekende (Deputy Governor), Justine Bagyenda (Director of Supervision) and Benedict Sekabira the current Director Financial Markets Development at the Bank.
Mr. Odiit Andrew, the Senior Assistant DPP/Head, Land Crimes Department at the Directorate of Public Prosecutions in a July 7th 2020 (Ref: HQS-CO-0191-2020), named the trio as suspects in an investigation under which certificates of titles belonging to former clients of the above three defunct banks ended up in the possession of a city lawyer, Mr. Kakembo Katende of M/S Kirkland Associates.
Further, the DPP Abodo went ahead to confirm charges against Kasekende, Sekabira and Bagyenda.
“This is to acknowledge receipt of your complaint in regards to the above [investigation of Kasekende, Bagyenda and Sekabira]. This letter is addressed to two institutions which are both mandated to direct on investigations. The complaint should be addressed to one institution for proper investigations and follow-up and also to avoid duplicity and wastage of resources, “reads DPP Abodo’s letter dated August 4th addressed to a petitioner.
REVIEW
However, Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) sitting at Kibuli in Kampala later told the media it wasn’t investigating Dr Kasekende and Bagyenda over the matter, contrary to the DPP’s position.
It later emerged that Mr Kasekende had written to the DPP distancing himself from the dubious sale of the land titles belonging to the closed banks.
He thus wanted the DPP to clear his name from the list of suspects who are being investigated over this matter.
It is against this backdrop that the DPP decided to recall the file for re-perusal in light of Mr Kasekende’s complaint.
Speaking to the DPP over this matter, her lordship Abado told this website that he was engaged in a meeting at that time but referred us to her spokesperson Jackline Okwi, “my hands are so full now but our PRO has all the information,” she said.
Ms Okwi responded: “We submitted the case file to the Police with instructions mainly to conduct further inquiries into the matter.”
Adding: “Thereafter, we received a complaint from the former Deputy Governor Bank of Uganda, Mr Louis Kasekende contesting his involvement in the fraudulent transfer of certificates of title deposited in the defunct commercial banks.”
The DPP has now recalled the case file for re-perusal in light of the complaint.
This website has again learnt that the DPP had used one file to issue charges against the three officials.
As to whether, after review the DPP will now sanction separate files for each official, Ms Okwi asked this website to be patient and wait for Abado’s decision.
But she was very optimistic that at least these officials have a case to answer.
“Once we are done, we will definitely let you know,” she said.
This website also put it to the DPP whether she has been reached out to by Sekabira through city lawyers; Andrew Kasirye and Robert Kirunda negotiating for him to elude justice.
The DPP could neither deny nor confirm this allegation.
A credible source in the DPP’s office revealed to this website that the two lawyers whose names have been cited in almost all the dubious dealings in the city had secretly approached the DPP insisting that their client Benedict Sekabira has no case.
The development comes after Mr Sekabira snubbed police summons for the second time three days ago.
Police had written to Governor Bank of Uganda Emmanuel Mutebile requesting to grant his junior permission to appear at CID for questioning on July 30, but he was a no show.
Re-scheduled to appear at the same facility on August 11, Sekabira didn’t turn up.
This website is closely following up this matter up to its logical conclusion and will bring more details as events unfold.
