Dfcu Bank and a lawyer from prominent city law firm are said to be planning to set up Sudhir Ruparelia’s son Rajiv Ruparelia for purposes aimed at gathering information that the can use against the Ruparelia Group which is a holding company for various companies such as Meera Investments, Crane Services Management (CSM) and former Crane Bank Limited (CBL) among others.

Rajiv is a director in many of Ruparelia’s companies some of which like Crane Services Management Limited and defunct CBL have legal battles with Dfcu Bank which controversially bought off CBL in January 2017.

In one of the leaked discussions between David Mpanga of AF Mpanga advocates, and other two people, the discussion is centred around a yet disclosed amount of money from Mpanga to allegedly fight bad/fake news campaign and also reportedly access Mr. Rajiv for a set up recordings that could be used against him.

The bank and the said law firm have lined up some news operatives to trick Rajiv into interviews so as to extract information that could be useful to Dfcu bank in case of pending court cases involving the two sides. according to the leaked discussion, the plan also involves recording Members of Parliament especially those on COSASE. Dfcu is the financier of the campaign while Mpanga is supposed to dig up old files and write articles involving the transaction he had with Sudhir while he still represented him.

In February 2018, CSML dragged Dfcu bank to the Commercial Court demanding that the bank pays it rent worth Shs5 billion.

The bill accumulated after Dfcu Bank occupied 13 properties around the country but later vacated some without paying a single penny in terms of rent one year down to the road.

On some properties where rent was prepaid, Dfcu did not bother to meet any of its obligations and continued occupying the premises till they elected to vacate the premises at the end of April 2017.

DFCU Bank also vacated the properties without serving the three months’ notice as stipulated in the contract was tantamount to breach. In so doing, Dfcu Bank was walking out of long term fixed rental contracts without renegotiating them.

In another rental agreement Crane Bank rented 38 apartments for staff on Plots 22, 24, 26 Kampala Road at a monthly Shs53, 928,000. The contract was fixed for five years with a 7 percent interest. By the time Dfcu vacated the premises in April 2017 without renegotiating the contract, the unexpired period on the contract made them liable for Shs2, 873,246,953.

In the case of Mbale Branch, which Crane Bank was renting for US$8,361.77 per month, Dfcu left two months rental arrears and an unpaid three months’ notice period, altogether being liable for US $27,678.01.

“The defendants said nonpayment of rental arrears has not only caused the Plaintiff losses, deprived it of use of its money and interest, caused it more suffering and grave inconvenience, but it has also adversely affected the Plaintiffs’ businesses for which the Plaintiff claims general damages,” CMS’s suit reads in part.

CMS says that Dfcu has been notified of their grievances and demand notices sent to them but they have blatantly refused to pay up.

On top of $385,728.54 and Shs2, 998, 558,624, CMS has prayed to court to also grant it interest on the aforementioned sum at prevailing commercial rate until the arrears are cleared.

On the other Eagle Online understands DFCU Bank and the said law firm have tried to bribe the Parliamentary Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) after it emerged that Dfcu bank bought CBL without following the proper due process. This was during the probe of the Bank of Uganda (BoU) senior staff.

Dfcu bank bought off CBL at Shs200 billion paid in installments even as BoU claimed to have sunk Shs478 billion in CBL during the takeover period that happened between October 20, 2016 and January 25, 2017. Unfortunately BoU has failed to account for this money.

It emerged also emerged that BoU sold CBL to Dfcu bank well knowing that Bank of Uganda Staff Retirement Benefits Scheme owns has 0.59 percent shares in the bank which is a conflict of interest. Some of the documents relating to the sale of CBL are nowhere to be seen as MPs on COSASE found out.

That aside Rajiv in October 2018, threatened to sue Dfcu bank for publishing his mobile number in the press without his consent, adding that it caused enormous inconvenience to him. Rajiv wanted an apology from the bbank took it over.

Earlier Dfcu bank had threatened to sue Rajiv for allegedly spreading malicious propaganda against it using some media houses. Dfcu claimed that the propaganda aimed at collapsing it. But Rajiv has rubbished the accusation since no evidence is available to pin him.

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Legislators have demanded that government takes immediate actions to curb what they termed as the appalling situation of moral decadence in the country.

The MPs, who were debating a motion to promote national moral consciousness and social ethical normalcy moved by former Ethics Minister, James Nsaba Buturo, said morals have been eroded by many unchecked negative vices in society.

Most of the vices like corruption, sex for jobs and marks, low levels of accountability, sexual harassment and commercialization of politics among others, have been attributed to a wanting moral upbringing of members of society.

Nsaba Buturo noted that forces of moral decay and depravity had threatened Uganda’s potential to take off to a middle-income status.

“Many young people are growing up today with an exaggerated sense of entitlement, a presumption that society owes them a living and a predisposition to want to con their way to greatness. What is driving such motivation is a demonic spirit of materialism,” he said.

MPs reiterated the mover’s concerns and attributed most of the moral decadence especially among the youth, to poor or no practical lessons by parents and religious leaders.

“We allow our children to feed on wrong information especially on television. I recently saw immoral dances of youths along the streets in Amolatar on the night of the New Year,” said Doreen Amule

“How can we raise a nation where people depend on begging? Many tourists have been embarrassed by the children who follow them while begging on Kampala streets,” said Gomba East County Emmanuel Kalule Ssengo

Nyabushozi County MP Fred Mwesigye blamed the negative use of social media for promoting negative values in society, and noted that the education curriculum ought to be modified to promote teaching of values to children from a young age.

“We should make laws and regulations that prevent the media from airing poison to our children. We should also look at what our children are taught so that it complements their moral growth,” Mwesigye said.

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, who presided over the sitting tasked the Minister of Education and Sports; Ethics and Integrity; and ICT and National Guidance to address the concerns raised in the motion.

The Speaker was also concerned over the little or no participation of the docket of National Guidance under the ICT and National Guidance Ministry, which she said was necessary in addressing concerns regarding sustaining the moral fabric of society.

“You hear about the ICT but never hear about National Guidance and that is why we are struggling with all this. The Minister should bring a statement this week on the matter,” added Kadaga.

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President Yoweri Museveni has revealed that Africa needs to overcome ten main bottlenecks of infrastructure development such as roads, railway and electricity, human resource development, market integration to lower costs of doing business and attract investments.

Museveni was speaking during a breakfast round-table meeting organized by the Africa Strategy Group comprising of politicians, academicians, business moguls held under the theme ‘Shaping Africa’s agenda in the Global Context’ at the Hotel Grischa Monta in Davos, Switzerland

“The continent also needs to deal with the issue of economic and political integration for credible bargaining units in addition to an educated human resource. Africa is rising partly because currents governments not being hostile to the private sector.” he said.

“Part of our lagging behind was the attitude governments had against the private sector now that has changed, people are excited about artificial intelligence are those who already have developed infrastructure and a developed human resource,”

Giving an example of artificial intelligence where electronics replace the brain, Museveni said the brain commands the centre of the body and artificial intelligence without infrastructure development such as railway, electricity cannot be useful.

“Congo alone has a lot of electronic goods but if they can’t produce goods or services how can that help.” He said

The round-table was moderated by the Executive Director of OXFAM Winnie Byanyima who said governments should be accountable to their people, prioritise public services, and economic sectors, new technologies and tax systems that bring the maximum benefit to society as a whole.

It was attended by Rwanda President Paul Kagame, the outgoing AU Chair, South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, Tunisia’s President Beji Caid Essebsi, former Prime minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair among other leaders.

In the photo: Executive Director of the World Food Programme, Mr David Beasley and M7

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Kampala High Court Judge, Wilson Kwesiga has acquitted three people of murder charges that were leveled against them following recent sporadic killing of women in Entebbe and Wakiso district.

Ivan Katongole, a businessman dealing in fish maws at Kasenyi landing site in Katabi town council in Wakiso District, Andrew Kizito and Hellen Nabaggala have been on trial over the murder of one Rose Nakimuli, a hairdresser in Entebbe, Wakiso District.

The three were arrested early in 2017and tried before Entebbe magistrates Court before being committed to high Court in May that same year. Prosecution averred that on 24th July, 2017 at Kitara LC1 zone in Katabi Town Council that trio and others on t run killed one Rose Nakimuli.

In the recent spate of murders, over 23 women were first raped, tortured, suffocated and dumped in various areas of Nansana, Wakiso, Entebbe and Katabi.

Appearing before justice Kwesiga, the three were acquitted of all charges after seven prosecution witnesses failed to link the trio to the murder Nakimuli.

He ruled that police failed in its investigation role and blamed DPP’s offices for charging suspects continuing with the cases yet knowing that they have no evidences.

He said prosecution acted in bad faith because they knew they had no evidence to pin suspects but went ahead and charged them with the offences which was a wastage of time and resources

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The Kamuli District National Resistance Movement (NRM) chairman, Pr. Samuel Bamwole has been arrested for alleged defilement.

Bamwole who is also the district councilor for Nawanyago Sub County and a former Speaker of the district council was arrested yesterday evening and detained at Kamuli Central Police Station.

Wamwole who is professionally a secondary school teacher is alleged to have defiled a 15-year old student of Nawanyago College and helped her to procure an abortion.

In a statement made at Kamuli Central Police Station, the victim claims that between March and August last year, Bamwole who also once served as a district LCV chairman defiled her several times.

It is claimed that Bamwole seduced his neighbour’s daughter with a smart phone, clothes and money.

Michael Kasadha, the Busoga North Regional Police spokesperson confirmed Thursday mourning that Bamwole who is also a pastor was in the hands of police.

The girl’s father who is a carpenter told reporters that they got suspecious when their daughter was ill and bleeding.

“We took her to a nearby clinic where it was found out that she had had an abortion. And we were advised to take her for a scan where again it was found out that there was need for evacuation of blood and parts of the removed fetus,”

“My daughter condition was worsening but she has was not revealing who the man was. So I confiscated her phone. Later in the day, a love message from Mr Bamwole’s phone number was sent to my daughter’s phone. This is when we came to know that he was the one,” narrates the father.

The father says the girl finally disclosed to them that it was Bamwole who defiled her. Later, the parent says, the suspect in company of a friend visited the girl’s parents and admitted.

The matter was brought to the attention of the police by the girl’s parents more than 6 days ago but police appeared reluctant to investigate the case until the girl’s uncle who is a senior officer in the army caused Bamwole’s arrest and handed him to the police.

Police say that Bamwole is to be taken for an HIV test to ascertain his status before he is arraigned in court once inquiries are concluded.

Defile is capital in nature and can lead to life imprisonment.

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