Uganda's Labour Minister Kabafunzaki Released On Bail Over 30 Million Bribe
Rukiga county MP and State Minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial relations Herbert Kabafunzaki has been granted bail by the anti-corruption court where he appeared Wednesday morning, a day after he was charged with corruption has and remanded to Luzira Prison.
Kabafunzaki as a condition for the bail, was directed to handover a deposit of 5 million Shillings, his diplomatic passport and Land tittle to the court. His three sureties were also asked for a non cash bond of 50 million Shillings each. They included his wife Doreen Kabafunzaki, and colleagues Eliab Byamukama and Charles Mutabaazi.
The minister was Tuesday charged with two counts of corruption contrary to provisions of the Anti-Corruption Act and one count of conspiracy contrary to the Penal Code Act. He was charged alongside his personal assistant Brian Mugabo and an interior designer Bruce Lubowa before Chief Magistrate Agnes Alum of the Anti-Corruption Court.
Prosecution told Court that on April 8, while at Kampala Serena Hotel, Kabafunzaki directly solicited for a bribe of 15 million Shillings in exchange for clearing the image of Hamid Muhammed, the proprietor of AYA Group of Companies from allegations of sexual harassment lodged against him by his former employee at the Nakasero based Hilton Hotel. The employee had filed complaints with both police and with Kabafunzaki, in his capacity as the labour minister.
It further alleges that Kabafunzaki directly accepted a deposit of 5 million Shillings from Hamid in exchange for the same. Prosecution further states that Kabafunzaki, conspired with his co-accused Bruce Lubowa, to solicit a gratification of 15 million Shillings a crime he committed between April 6-8, this year.
Two of the accused persons; Kabafunzaki and Lubowa denied the offence. However, Mugabo pleaded guilty and admitted to hiding a bribe of 5 million Shillings on behalf of the minister. He says his action was to protect the minister from punishment.
Court heard that Lubowa conspired with the minister to solicit for the bribe and accepted to receive an installment of 5 million Shillings on Saturday; the day they were arrested. But Kabafunzaki denied the allegations and told court that he did not receive any bribe and neither did he plan to meet Mohammad Hamid on the fateful day.
COMMENTS