Kampala- A witness yesterday told court that former Works minister, Abraham James Byandala, received a letter from the Inspector General of Government (IGG) halting construction of the Mukono-Katosi road.

Mr Byandala is accused of directing the continuation of works on Mukono-Katosi road contrary to the IGG orders to halt the project and remove Chongqing International Construction Corporation (CICO) from the contract.

Ms Hellen Kabagenyi, a records officer in the Ministry of Works and Transport, told the Anti-Corruption Court that she received the IGG letter dated July 17, 2014 and sent it to Byandala.

“I received the letter and I dispatched it to the Minister’s (Byandala) office where his secretary, Matilda received it,” she testified, further complicating Byandala’s indictment.

The IGG states that Mr Byandala abused his office by ordering the continuation of the Mukono-Katosi road works by another company CICO when the contract with the original constructor Eutaw had collapsed.

The IGG also contends that Mr Byandala further abused his office on August 27, 2014 when he ordered that Chongqing International Construction Company continues with the project. At the commencement of the trial last year, Byandala denied defying the IGG orders.

Mr Byandala was dropped from cabinet as Works Minister in March 2015.

However, during cross-examination yesterday, Ms Kabagenyi told court Mr Byandala’s secretary was the right person to tell whether he received the IGG letter.Byabagambi is jointly charged with Eng Berunado Ssebbugga Kimeze.

They are charged with causing financial loss of more than Shs24 billion to government in the Mukono-Katosi road project.

Other suspects are: former Uganda National Roads Authority director for finance and administration Mr Joe Ssemugooma, Mr Wilberforce Senjako (former regional accountant) and Mr Apolo Senkeeto alias Mark Kalyesubula (country representative for Eutaw Construction Company) and Mr Isaac Mugote (former staff of Housing Finance Bank).The hearing continues today.

Particulars of the charges

The IGG alleges that Mr Kimeze abused his office when he signed a contract with Eutaw without establishing that there was a valid performance guarantee and issued a payment guarantee which allowed release of over Shs24 billion to the company at the expense of UNRA’s interests.

Eng Kimeze is jointly charged with Mr Semugooma in a separate case of causing financial loss to government by approving payment of Shs24 billion to Eutaw despite glaring defects in the due-diligence report.