Court to rule on AIGP Bangirana case next week

The  Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala has fixed the date for giving a ruling on the application in which a concerned citizen petitioned court seeking for a temporary order against police boss Assistant Inspector General of police Godfrey Bangirana to step aside.

A concerned citizen, Isaac Maddo dragged Bangirana jointly with the Attorney General who is the chief government lawyer seeking for a temporary order forcing Bangirana to vacate office until the main case is disposed of.

On Thursday, Justice Henrietta Wolayo accepted to entertain a defence out of time by the Attorney General in regards the application.

In his defence, the Attorney General represented by State Attorney, Josephine Kiyingi said the application has been overtaken by events after in a July, 19, 2019 letter, the Internal Affairs Permanent Secretary allowed AIGP Bangirana to stay in office has the matter of extension of his contract is being worked upon.

However, Justice Wolayo said she would deliver her ruling next week on the application for a temporary order.

The main case

AIGP Godfrey Bangirana, the Police Director in charge of Engineering and Logistics, was dragged to court for refusing to vacate office after expiry of his contract.

In a suit where the Attorney General was listed as a respondent, Isaac Maddo,  who addresses himself as a Ugandan of sound mind says Bangirana’s continued stay in office after expiry of his term is illegal and unlawful that court needs to order for his vacation.

“The continued receipt of salary and emoluments by the second defendant (Bangirana) while in office is unlawful and a wastage of government resources and court should order him to refund all the emoluments received after the expiry of his contract,” Maddo says in his suit.

Following the expiry of Bangirana’s contract in July 2019, the Inspector General of Police, Martin Okoth Ochola ordered him to hand over keys and vacate office but the Internal Affairs Permanent Secretary asked him to stay in office until a decision by the Police council in regards his contract is announced.

However, in his suit, Maddo said failure by the Attorney General to advise the Permanent Secretary on his directive to Bangirana was illegal.

“The actions by the Attorney General by failing to advise the Permanent Secretary and other government organs  in regards the matter constituted a breach of his duty to government and the public.”

“The second respondent’s continued stay in office is unlawful and illegal and this suit is brought to vindicate the rule of law and get the unlawful conduct stopped.”

In his suit, Maddo wants court to order for AIGP Bangirana’s vacation of office on top of refunding all the salary and emoluments received since the expiry of his contract.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2019/08/27/police-director-bangirana-dragged-to-court-for-refusing-to-vacate-office/