UGANDA: Gavi cash: Mukula starts defence Tuesday

By ANTHONY WESAKA

Former junior Health Minister Capt. Mike Mukula is expected to start his defence in a case where he is accused of embezzling Shs210 million from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation account.

On July 31, the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala ruled that Capt. Mukula, has a case to answer in connection to the Shs263m he received from the Gavi fund account for purposes of advocacy in the office of the First Lady Janet Museveni.

Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Irene Akankwasa, held that Capt. Mukula had accounted for only Shs53 million out of the Shs263 million he allegedly received and that he should explain the whereabouts of Shs 210 million.

Capt. Mukula was supposed to start his defense on September 9.

However, this was not possible since he hired a new lead lawyer, Mr Tibejjuka Atenyi, who asked court for more time to acquaint himself with the case.

Before, Mr Fred Muwema was his lead lawyer.

The Soroti Municipality MP is the only suspect left to fight on in this case. His three co-accused, Maj. Gen Jim Muhwezi, (former health minister), Dr Alex Kamugisha,(former junior health minister) and Ms Alice Kaboyo, (former Private Secretary at State House Nakasero in charge of Political Affairs and Seminars ) were cleared by the court in July this year due to lack of evidence.

The four were accused of misappropriating Shs1.6 billion meant for immunisation.

Capt. Mukula now faces only one charge of embezzlement since that of abuse of office he was jointly facing with his co-accused; was dropped in July due to insufficient evidence to pin them.

Should court convict Capt. Mukula, he stands to face a jail term of up to 14 years.

Source: Daily Monitor (13/11/2012): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Gavi-cash--Mukula-starts-defence-Tuesday/-/688334/1618872/-/h0gm0u/-/index.html