By Mulengera Reporters
In her Monday ruling in Uganda vs. Stephen Mukweli & 4 Others, Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga acquitted former Post Bank MD Stephen Mukweli and his four co-accused.
The group have, for the last three years, been on trial in the Kololo-based Anti-Corruption Court Division of the High Court.
The state had accused them of abuse of office in relation to money (Ugx3bn) that was paid out to a Kenyan IT firm (called Compulex) which provided a ‘KYC’ payment solution or system to facilitate payment of monthly upkeep to refugees in remote districts upcountry.
Prosecution had alleged that the Mukwelis had prejudiced their employer by paying the Kenyan firm before the efficacy of the payment system had been validated. But the DPP evidence was found to have been contradictory and uncorraborated.
All this incoherence made the prosecution evidence too weak and hard to rely on to secure a conviction against the Mukwelis who Justice Kajuga ended up acquitting.
The Judge found that, having acted in strict compliance with contract terms and provisions, it was hard to establish any wrongdoing on part of the Mukwelis.
On Wednesday this very week, the accused persons will return to the same Kololo court for their other charge, relating to the roughly Shs200m that was paid out to a Commission agent who delivered the Gender Ministry deal to facilitate SAGE payments to the elderly, to be inquired into.
Court will receive evidence from some of the prosecution witnesses who will subsequently be cross examined by defense lawyers ably led by Counsel Ronald Oyina. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [whatsapp line], 0779411734 & 0200900416 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
