A Ugandan citizen, a one Brian Atuheire has lodged a case in the high court, pleading that the Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa vacates office, reasoning that the US$500,000 he received from the Chinese businessman Patrick Ho was a bribe that makes the minister unfit to hold any public office.
Mr. Atuheire lodged the case Kutesa and the Attorney General on December 18, 2018.
Mr. Atuheire wants the Attorney General through the Director of Public Prosecutions to commence investigations against the wealthy minister.
Kutesa is said to have received the money from Ho to help him secure business dealings in railway services, infrastructure construction, fishing, hydro energy, banking and finance for the Chinese conglomerate CEFC (China Energy Co.).
Mr. Atuheire says Kutesa received the bribe paid via wire transfer from HSBC Bank in Hong Kong (China) through an intermediary HSBC, Deutsche Bank in New York (USA) to Stanbic Bank in Uganda on May 6, 2016.
Atuheire contends that How was found guilty after trial before the United States (US) District Judge Lorreta A Preska in the southern district of New York of one count of conspiring to violate the foreign corrupt (practices Act (FCPA) four counts of violating the FCPA, one count of conspiring to commit international money laundering and one count of committing international money laundering.
He argues that President Museveni on December 10, 2018 admitted that Kutesa received the money. Museveni said Kutesa told him the money was meant for a charity.