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MP Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari
Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister Nobert Mao has decried the manner in which Mbarara City North MP, Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari was arrested and sent to Luzira prison over a shs700 million debt.
Rukari was earlier this week remanded to Luzira prison by the Commercial Division of the High Court in Kampala for defaulting on a shs700 million debt, following a November, 17,2022 arrest warrant issued by the court’s deputy registrar.
Speaking during the launch of a fundraising drive for Uganda Martyrs Catholic Parish Church in Mbarara on Saturday where he represented Speaker of Parliament Anita Among , Mao narrated circumstances under which the legislator who is also an NRM CEC member ended up at Luzira.
Mao narrated that Rukaari was contacted by the lawyers of one Gerald Kalungi, a “controversial money lender” from whom he had borrowed money in 2019 and according to Mao, he invested it in his business which was hard hit by the Covid- pandemic.
The minister said that when Rukaari went to meet the lawyers, they had connived with court bailiffs and had got a court official who signed “undue order committing Rukaari to Luzira.”
“This was absolutely unnecessary. The same money lender has Rukaari’s land title of property worth billions and a duly signed transfer form. So if it was about recovering the money, all he had to do was sell the property,” Mao told the gathering in Mbarara.
According to the Justice Minister, the intention was to humiliate Rukaari and disrupt the church fundraising function.
Mao explained that Rukaari is owed more than Shs40 billion by the government for various undertakings which the businessman has with government.
“The papers for this money owed to Rukaari are with us and it is only Ministry of Finance holding his money,” Mao, who is a longtime friend of the MP who also doubles as the NRM Entrepreneurs League chairman said.
On Friday, Rukaari’s management said he had been tricked into being arrested before being sent to Luzira prison.
The management said as a remedy, they have instructed lawyers to vacate the ‘ malicious court’ order and are committed to make the necessary arrangements to settle the debt once and for all.
“ We also intend to file a complaint against the unscrupulous bailiffs whose illegal actions led to the unfortunate arrest and incarceration of the Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure justice and to expose all those involved in this dubious saga.”
MWESIGWA RESORTS LTD.
For Immediate Release
March 3, 2023
STATEMENT ON THE MALICIOUS ARREST OF OUR MANAGING DIRECTOR HON. DR. ROBERT MWESIGWA RUKAARI, MP
The Management of Mwesigwa Resorts wishes to take this opportunity to clarify the circumstances under which our Chairman, Hon. Dr. Robert Mwesigwa Rukaari was arrested and committed into prison under the pretext of a civil debt.
On the fateful day Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari contacted the lawyer of Kalungi Gerald ( The person he owes money) and told him that he wanted to meet him in order to agree on a new payment schedule.
When Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari reached the meeting venue the latter instead insisted that the new payment schedule should be agreed before Court.
Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari agreed and accordingly they went to the Commercial Court. Unknown to him the creditor’s lawyer in collusion with some unscrupulous bailiffs and court officials connived to get a court registrar to sign a committal to civil prison!
Mwesigwa Resorts Ltd. wishes to state categorically that it’s Chairman Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari, who also serves at the Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of Morocco in Uganda, is not only a Member of Parliament but also a businessman of high repute who has interests in Real Estate, Tourism, Resorts, Agriculture, Forestry, Procurement Consultancy and various other business interests employing hundreds of Ugandans.
He has secured and serviced facilities in millions of dollars over the years to carry out his businesses. We therefore denounce the unethical conduct of the creditor’s lawyer Stanley Omwony of M/S Omwony&Co Advocates whose motive seems to be only to humiliate the Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari and to sully his character.
The Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari is also a renowned philanthropist who is currently at the centre of efforts to raise funds for the building of the Uganda Martyrs Cathedral in Mbarara City. The launch of the fundraising is scheduled to kick off this coming Saturday with the Rt. Hon. Speaker as Guest of Honour. The timing of the malicious and diabolical actions of the creditor is therefore suspect as it seems motivated to interfere with one of the flagship activities of the Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari.
The creditor is not after money. Instead he has become a rallying point for the political and personal enemies of the Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari who are seething with jealous because of his rising star.
We have instructed lawyers to vacate the malicious court order and are committed to make the necessary arrangements to settle the debt once and for all.
For the record, out of a debt of 600 million shillings the Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari has already paid a total of 792 million shillings being the principal and usurious interests.
We also intend to file a complaint against the unscrupulous bailiffs whose illegal actions led to the unfortunate arrest and incarceration of the Hon. Dr. Mwesigwa Rukaari. We will leave no stone unturned to ensure Justice and to expose all those involved in this dubious saga.
MWESIGWA RESORTS LTD.
Source:Nilepost