Rwakakooko
Come back to Canada man
Em
The Mulindwas communication group
With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy
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Sent: Wednesday, October 30, 2002 10:45 AM
Subject: ugnet_: DUE PROCESS
Rwakakooko Denies Bribe
I DONT LOVE MONEY: Rwakakooko addressing reporters in Kampala yesterday
By Richard Mutumba
and Felix Osike
THE sh55m paid to former Uganda Revenue Authority Commissioner General Elly
Rwakakooko by a Kampala tycoon, Karim Hirji, was payment for property and
not
a bribe, their lawyers said yesterday.
Karim’s lawyers, Masembe Kanyerezi of Mugerwa and Masembe Co. Advocates,
said
the money was the last installment on sh210m, the price for Rwakakooko’s
house on Plot 30 Lower Naguru East Road.
The URA probe commission led by Justice Julia Ssebutinde, learnt on Monday
that Rwakakooko took sh55m from Karim under unclear circumstances.
“There is no single day when I have taken a bribe and it is too late for me
in life. I categorically deny any bribe whatsoever. The money was part
payment for the sale of my building,” Rwakokooko said. He described the
allegations as a “design” meant to malign him.
He said he was a senior citizen who had spent his entire life in public
service championing integrity.
He said he once declined a new Mercedes Benz bought by the URA for him. He
said he also declined to travel first class to which he was entitled.
“I started work in 1966 as an international civil servant. I have run a
number of institutions. I have never been interested in amassing wealth. I
operate one bank account. I have one farm where my grand-parents were buried
and a house in Kampala. The most important asset I hold is my family,” he
said, throwing his arms up in the air.
His lawyers, Kwesigabo, Bamwine and Walubiri Advocates, said in a statement
that their client had suffered mental pain, anxiety and inconvenience over
the ‘false’ reports.
The documents seized by the Special Revenue Protection Services (SPRS)
indicated that Rwakakooko was paid by cheque on June 3, 2000.
The lawyers said the message conveyed by the newspapers that the money was a
bribe is not true. “The property transaction took place four years ago and
has nothing to do with the alleged sh2.4b revenue loss of last year,” said
Masembe.
He said Rwakakooko and Karim signed an agreement on December 21, 1998 in
which the former sold land to the latter at sh210m. He said Karim initially
paid sh100m by two cheques, 508276 and 508277, for sh80m and sh20m.
Two Kampala advocates, John Wyne Ojok and Semakula Musisi, signed as
witnesses.
Masembe said the two parties agreed that the balance was to be paid in two
installments of sh55m on February 15, 1999 and April 15, of the same year.
He said the last sh55m installment was paid by cheque 074672T/C 701 on May
1,
1999.
Rwakakooko’s lawyer yesterday showed the press the original sale agreement,
banking slips for all the payments and the copy of the transfer in favour of
Karim.
The lawyer said Karim appealed to the President’s Office over the inaccuracy
of tax assessment because the SPRS, which made assessment, are answerable to
the President.
The President’s legal assistant, Fox Odoi, yesterday said his letter to URA
was to inform them of the petition.
He said the President’s Office never gave preferential treatment to Karim as
portrayed by the media but merely conveyed the message to the tax authority.
“We have referred this matter to the Commissioner General Uganda Revenue
authority and asked her to dispose off all the issues raised in your
petition,” said Odoi in the letter to Karim.
Odoi said the letter did not suggest that Karim’s tax liability be revised.
Rwakakooko also criticised SRPS methods of work, saying they ought to have
cross-checked their information.
“I am the one who set up SRPS although sometimes I didn’t agree with their
methods of work. My vision for SRPS was that it should have finally been
transformed into a highly sophisticated and knowledgeable economic analysis
unit—- not running around for coverage in newspapers.”
Asked if he knew of the tax evasion before selling the house to Karim,
Rwakakooko said, “I don’t particularly remember receiving information about
Karim.” He said even if he did, he would have passed on the information to
URA’s investigations department.
“Absolutely for the period 1966 up to 2000, I don’t recollect one temptation
where I wished I would have been given money to change direction of my job.
I
am one of the people who don’t believe in materialism,” he said.
Ends
Published on: Wednesday, 30th October, 2002
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