The High Court in Kampala has set next month to start hearing the bribery case in which a concerned citizen wants the Foreign Affairs Minister, Sam Kutesa forced out of office over bribery allegations.
Brian Atuheire, a concerned citizen petitioned the civil division of the High Court in Kampala seeking for orders for Kutesa to vacate office for being involved in a corruption scandal.
According to a hearing notice signed dated January 8, 2019 by the court’s Deputy Registrar, hearing of the case is set for February 25.
A court in the US , last year convicted former Hong Kong minister Patrick Ho Chi-ping after being found guilty by a federal jury in New York of offering millions of dollars in bribes to African officials including Sam Kutesa to gain business favours.
In his petition, Atuheire says court ought to be moved to grant orders that Kutesa is not fit to hold any public office over bribery saying that the Ho’s conviction is a clear indicator that Uganda’s Foreign Affairs minister is as well guilty.
“The president of the republic of Uganda on December 10 2018 referred to the bribe as a gift which is an acknowledgment of the fact that the money was indeed received and in this case, the first respondent (Kutesa) ought to have declared the ‘gift’ to the Inspectorate of Government,”Atuheire contends.
“Therefore, the actions of the first respondent contravened the law.”
The petitioner also contends that the alleged bribe was meant to secure business dealings in railway services, infrastructure construction, fishing, hydro energy, banking and finance for China Energy Company, a Chinese conglomerate.
He adds that serving as Foreign Affairs Minister, Kutesa received the bribe contrary to section 2(a) 5(a)(iii) of the Anti -Corruption Act of 2009 adding that he ought to be forced to relinquish his position with immediate effect.
Atuheire also seeks orders that Kutesa immediately vacates the office of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and that the Attorney General through the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions commence criminal proceedings against him(Kutesa).
The Attorney General last month told parliament that he would soon table a report in regards his investigations into the bribery claims against Kutesa.