Former vice president Prof. Gilbert Bukenya has been remanded to Luzira Prisons over his role in the purchase of vehicles during the 2007 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM
The Anti Corruption Court Grade One Magistrate, Irene Akankwasa also cancelled Bukenya’s bail and committed the Busiro North MP to high court for trial. Bukenya had been granted bail in June after depositing 50 million shillings and his travel documents. But Akankwasa cancelled the bail and sent the former vice president to Luzira from where he will start his trial before the high court.
Bukenya is facing two separate charges of abuse of office and fraudulent practice.
In the second count, the former VP is accused jointly with Motor Care Uganda Limited, a company he allegedly helped secure a tender to supply 80 BMW vehicles and 1200 Police outrider motor cycles for use during CHOGM.
Bukenya denies the charges and in June this year, he unsuccessfully petitioned the constitutional court to block his trial arguing that the charges were wrongly constituted.
The offences were allegedly committed between July 2006 and November 2007, while Bukenya chaired the cabinet subcommittee on CHOGM.
The directors of Motor Care Uganda Limited did not appear in Court but they sent two officials, Moses Banturaki, the sales and marketing manager and Florence Ssempeebwa, who is in charge of finance and administration. The two were however not remanded after their lawyers argued that it is the company’s name that is on the charge sheet, not the individuals.
The lawyers, Edmund Wakida and Fred Makadda, insisted that the two officials were just representing the company which is charged as an entity.
