Whisper Eye has learnt that Lawyer @IsaacSsemakadde “Isaac Kimaze Ssemakadde” has constantly demanded the immediate prosecution of city tycoon Hassan Basajjabalaba and his brother Muzamiru Basajjabalaba on corruption-related charges. #WhisperEyeNews
Through Legal Brains Trust, an independent nonprofit organization that seeks to establish the rule of law, ensure equal and equitable access to justice and tackle the root causes of exclusion, vulnerability, and poverty in Africa, Isaac Ssemakadde its founder on December 7th, 2021 filed a complaint to the office of DPP Jane Frances Abodo demanding the immediate prosecution of the Basajjabalaba.
Back in 2011 when government decided to compensate Hassan Basajjabalaba with 142 billion Uganda shillings as damages for the decision to cancel his lease contracts to develop and manage five city markets, he was reportedly supposed to pay a tax worth 20 billion Uganda shillings but he didn’t, action was taken against him ,
The ailing Kasanaga-based university proprietor was accordingly charged in the Anti-Corruption Court, briefly remanded, and later given bail accused of conspiring to evade tax, forgery of a court order, and uttering a false document among other chargers.
The silence about resuming the trial for Basajjabalaba and his brother Muzamiru Basajjabala since the Supreme Court okayed them motivated Isaac Ssemakadde to petition the DPP office with questions demanding an explanation as to why the DPP is yet to prosecute the tycoon.
On November 19th, 2021 Supreme court cleared the prosecution of Basajjabalaba which had been the cause for the stalling of the trial for about seven years in CRIMINAL CASE NO. 003 OF 2013 UGANDA v. HASSAN BASAJJABALABA AND ANOTHER
“It is more than seven (7) months since the Supreme Court cleared this prosecution, yet there is no indication that the accused have been summoned to stand trial on expedited basis as required by the law and Uganda’s war on corruption “, wrote Isaac Ssemakadde in a letter dated 30th June 2022 to the head, anti-corruption department, office of the Director of Public Prosecution,
“Why are you dillydallying, shillyshallying, and pussyfooting? Did the dog eat your exhibit? Or, have you been compromised by the Basajjabalaba brothers”? Isaac Ssemakadde asked.
He added “Let us have a progress report from your office not later than 8 July 2022. If we do not hear from you by then, you are hereby notified of our intention to commence litigation to compel the OPP to perform her statutory duty or to undertake a private prosecution”, In either case, we shall seek that you pay our legal costs. Ssemakadde concluded.
By press time the DPP office was yet to react to a received Legal brains trust letter calling for the immediate prosecution of Hassan Basajjabalaba and his brother
This means Basajjabalaba who lost at the Supreme court faces a criminal trial for conspiring to evade tax, forgery of a court order, and uttering a false document.
Whisper Eye will keep you posted. click follow us on Twitter
