State Minister for Housing, Dr. Chris Baryomunsi and two others have no choice but to pay about Shs80.6 million to businessman James Musinguzi Garuga and his company Kinkizi Development Co. Limited after he successfully argued in court that the minister, a Tumwebaze Karabenda Godfrey and Kanungu FM disrespected a court order restraining them, their servants and agents from publishing further libel against him and his company or make further slanderous statements or any other defamatory statements against him.
In 2016 Musinguzi sued Baryomunsi and his accomplices in in Civil Suit No. 619 of 2016 where Justice Stephen Musota awarded Musinguzi Shs50 million as exemplary damages as well as Shs32.6 million interest at court rate.
But Baryomonsi wanted to seek leave for the application to challenge the award which the Head of Civil Division, Justice Andrew Bashaija dismissed on November 26, 2019, agreeing with Musinguzi’s Pathway Lawyers, that Baryomunsi’s application for leave to appeal was improper, defective and devoid of merit.
Court has further awarded Musinguzi costs of Baryomunsi’s defeated application for leave to appeal. The businessman says he has instructed his lawyers to ensure that the minister and his accomplices pay him the money as decided by court.
Initially Musinguzi had wanted Dr. Baryomunsi and the other two respodents in the case to pay him exemplary damages to the tune of Shs800 million and that the minister further be fined 500, million as a sanction for contemptuous conduct.
