Some MPs on parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE), have rubbished a report of the sub-committee that was formed to scrutinise properties of Bank of Uganda (BoU) deputy governor, Dr. Louise Kasekende and former Executive Director for bank supervision, Justine Bagyenda.
On December 13, 2018 COSASE led by Chairperson Abdu Katuntu appointed a three-member subcommittee chaired by Bukedea Woman MP Anita Among, UPDF MP Brig Francis Takira and Kiruhura Woman MP Sheila Mwine to investigate the titles of land properties of the two officials and present a report to guide on the way forward.
The appointment of the sub-committee followed documents tabled by Aruu South MP Odonga Otto, showing that Kasekende owned 72 properties in and around Kampala and dozens of land titles some in the names of his relatives and his driver. Otto also tabled documents showing that Kasekende had transferred 18 land tittles into the names of his driver a one Musitwa and 35 land tittles into names of his relatives.
On the same date, Kasilo County legislator Elijah Okupa also presented documents concerning 11 properties that allegedly belong to Bagyenda in addition to asking the committee to summon the Financial Intelligence Authority over the matter.
Now some MPs on COSASE are querying the probe of Bagyenda over her properties, saying colleagues who probed Bagyenda came from western Uganda like Bagyenda herself and therefore, they have got vested interests. They say such a report cannot be fair as Bagyenda might have comprised them. They say MP Anita Among, the out-going Vice Chairperson of COSASE never participate in the scrutiny of Bagyenda’s land titles. Eagle Online, has established that MP Among who was chairing the committee yesterday threw out the report by the two MPs warning that exclusion of other committee members would make the report unacceptable.
“We gave documents to the committee it would have been better for Hon. Mwine and Hon. Brig. Takira to invite us to give input. But to our surprise the two yesterday brought a report to which we were not party to and we suspect this is the work of Bagyenda who is using fellow tribemates,” said a concerned MP.
“For us we will not be allowed to be used on wrong report and we will go to court,” he added.
The issue of Kasekende’s and Bagyenda’s properties came in on December, 13 as MPs were probing BoU officials over the controversial closure and liquidation of seven defunct banks such as Teefe Trust Bank, International Credit Bank, Greenland Bank, Cooperative Bank, National Bank of Commerce, Global Trust Bank Uganda and Crane Bank Limited (CBL).
Mp Otto also on December 13, 2018, tabled bank statements detailing the transfer of US $1 million to Ms Edith Kasekende’s account by a Chinese firm, and another Shs1.9 billion from MMAKS Advocates.
He then said: “What is of interest to me is the transfer of US $1 million to Mrs. Edith Kasekende’s account by China Railway Group. China Railway Group is the company that constructed the BoU currency centre. The committee should pick interest.”
“These people were closing banks to enrich themselves. The public has to know the motivation of some people to close banks. The Ministry of lands authenticated the documents by giving a search certificate detailing that these 16 properties are in your names,” Otto said.
Details of Bagyenda’s wealth leaked in March last year, showing that she had Shs19 billion on three different bank accounts, which ignited a public debate on how she accumulated such amount of money within six years. Other leaked documents showed she own various properties in upscale Kampala.
The Inspectorate of Government (IG) and the Financial Intelligence Authority later launched investigations into how Bagyenda accumulated the wealth though no report has ever been released to the public.
Leaked Mobile Money transactions from her MTN account showed Ms Bagyenda had transacted a whopping Shs499, 428,906 million in three years.
Meanwhile a new document shows that BoU’s legal department drafted the Purchase and Assumption of Liabilities agreement between BoU and Dfcu when the latter bought of the assets of CBL in January 2017. However MMKAS Advocates in their written response to COSASE on February 12, 2019 said they worked with the department to draft the agreement.