The LC3 chairman of Hoima Town Council, Francis Atugonza, has been released from jail on bail.
Atugonza was granted bail yesterday by Justice John Bosco Katutsi of the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.
Atugonza was arrested on December 3rd at his office in Hoima and charged with abuse of office and theft of government property. He is accused of conniving to illegally sell council land to Warid Telecom in 2007. The 60 million shillings obtained from the sale was never handed over to the council or accounted for.
Atugonza, who is Forum for Democratic Change National Secretary for Trade and Industry, has been on remand at Hoima Government Prison since then.
Yesterday, Justice Katutsi granted him a non-cash bail of 100 million shillings. His two sureties were also required to submit non-cash bonds of 150 million shillings each.
Speaking to journalists after his release, Atugonza said he had no case to answer. He repeated a claim he made shortly after his arrest that the case against him was politically motivated and had no basis.
It was the second time this year that Atugonza was arrested. In April he was apprehended in Kampala for bribery and obtaining money by false pretence. Police in Kampala claimed that he solicited for a bribe of 30 million shillings for the awarding of a lucrative local council tender.
