The Deputy Inspector General of Government Raphael Baku has responded to allegations of his fraudulent acquisition of land from Uganda Posts Ltd.
Police investigations had earlier pointed out that Baku’s acquisition of plots 24/26 on Clement Hill Road and 71/75 on Kitante Road did not conform to Public Procurement and Disposal of Public Assets (PPDA) Act.
But in an interview with Uganda Radio Network, Baku dismissed the investigations saying he duly consulted the Solicitor General on the purchase of the two plots of land. He says the land was up for leasing but the IGG’s office later convinced Posta Uganda into selling them fully to the office of the Inspectorate.
In dated November 5th 2010 a copy of which URN has seen, the then minister for information Aggrey Awori wrote to the board of directors of Uganda Posts Ltd permitting the leasing of two plots of unutilized land to which effect, Uganda Posts advertised the two plots of land for leasing.
After seeing the adverts, Baku then acting IGG, talked Uganda Posts Ltd into buying the two plots of land permanently which they willingly agreed to.
Baku further says he then talked to the Ministry of Finance to avail him funds to purchase the said land for the IGG’s office and save the 1.5 billion shillings the Inspectorate spends annually on renting five floors at the Jubilee Insurance Centre on Parliament Avenue.
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The Ministry of Finance then sent the chief government valuer to evaluate the price of the building which he placed at 4.9 billion Uganda shillings.
The matter was then forwarded to parliament for approval from the legal and parliamentary affairs committee which recommended in its report that government gives the IGG 2.25 billion shillings to add to the 2.15 billion that the IGG had earlier deposited in order to fully purchase the land.
It is at this point that the controversy over the purchase arose with PPDA claiming it was not informed of the purchase.
Baku however, says by 2010, the time of the purchase, PPDA was not mandated to handle land purchases and so he consulted the Solicitor General who gave him a go-ahead owing to section 87 (1) (f) of the PPDA Act which allows for the transfer of idle land amongst public entities.
In another letter, dated February 21, 2011, Byakika Ssewakiryanga signing on behalf of the Solicitor General, permitted the 5.4 billion shillings purchase of the two pieces of land which was over and above the 4.9 billion the government valuer had recommended.
It is then that he says he purchased the 1.2-acre piece of land.
