Jinja RDC Sakwa drags government to court protesting suspension from office

Jinja Resident District Commissioner, Eric Sakwa has dragged government to court protesting his suspension from office.

Sakwa was last week interdicted to allow proper investigations into manslaughter charge against him before the Jinja court.

However, through his lawyers, Sakwa has run to the High Court in Jinja saying he was unfairly treated while being interdicted from office.

“The applicant was never given any hearing before the interdiction letter was written and all rules of natural justice were flouted.  The ostensible reason for interdiction is a case of man slaughter for which the applicant was charged in court yet it is not one of the conditions of service for the applicant that if he has any criminal case in court against him, he has to be interdicted,” the court documents say.

Sakwa also argues that the interdiction letter was written by Hajj Yunus Kirunda, the secretary to the Office of the President by there is no proof that his appointing authority, President Museveni authorized the same.

He says that it is wrong to be threatened with eviction from office yet rules of natural justice and proper procedures were never applied to his case.

“It is just and equitable that the purported interdiction which was irregularly procured is quashed and the respondents and or their agents are prohibited from putting the applicant out of office until a proper procedure for his interdiction is followed,” the court documents say.

Background

In  a May 4 letter copied to the Minister for the Presidency, Head of Public Service, Secretary to Cabinet and the DISO, Sakwa was asked to hand over office to the DISO.

“You’re required to hand over any government property in your possession in accordance with the laid down procedure and regulations," the letter by Hajj Yunus Kirunda, the secretary to the Office of the President said.

Sakwa’s woes started when he was arraigned before the magistrates court in Jinja and charged with man slaughter among other offences.

Sakwa was accused of using an iron hand while implementing the presidential guidelines on containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prosecution alleges that  Sakwa, 38, together with Bazimbyewa Bumali, 19, a mechanic and Mohammed Simba alias Meddie, 31, and a businessman in Jinja between March 22 and April 17 this year at Lwanda Village in Jinja District, unlawfully caused the death of Charles Isanga, a businessman in the area.

It is also alleged that Sakwa together with his  accomplices stole Shs80,000, three crates of beer, eight trays of eggs, sachets of waragi and soda all valued at approximately Shs429,000, still the property of the said Isanga.

The crime of man slaughter carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment on conviction.