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NAMED: Kazini & Saleh |
By Felix Osike
and Alfred Wasike
THE Porter commission that investigated allegations of plundering of the DR Congo resources has recommended that President Yoweri Museveni reprimands Army Commander Maj. Gen. James Kazini and other senior UPDF officers.
State minister for international co-operation Maj. Tom Butime last Friday presented a summary of the findings to Cabinet showing that Kazini, the commander of the Reserve Force, Lt. Gen. Salim Saleh and his wife Jovial Akandwanaho, were the �key actors� in the alleged smuggling of Congo diamonds.
The report is to be handed over to the Criminal Investigations Department, the Inspector General of Government and the Director of Public Prosecutions for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The commission recommends strongly that the smuggling of diamonds, which is contrary to Ugandan laws, should be thoroughly investigated for further action.
The commission was chaired by Justice David Porter. Other members were Justice Joseph Berko and John Rwambuya. The lead counsel was lawyer Allan Shonubi while the secretary was Bisereko Kyomuhendo.
The commission said a number of allegations raised in the first UN panel report against Kazini were based on sound evidence and that his actions had shamed the country.
The Cabinet discussed the report but no decision was made during a meeting chaired by prime minister Apollo Nsibambi.
A Cabinet White Paper is being prepared.
Sources said the report, which is yet to be made public, found a link between the trio and Victoria Group, a company mentioned in the UN reports.
It said Kazini has interests in the company, based in the northeastern Congo city of Kisangani.
It pins Saleh for operating Air Alexander in the eastern Congo under his son�s name against a presidential directive and another airline, Take Air Ltd.
The commission recommended that Saleh should be pursued for two other criminal offences related to regi!
stration
of his companies.
The report, sent to the UN Security Council, also says the diamonds were trafficked through Entebbe and Brussels International Airports.
The second Security Council report released last October blacklisted Saleh, Kazini and the Military Intelligence chief Col. Noble Mayombo and state minister for regional co-operation Col. Kahinda Otafiire.
The UN panel recommended travel bans, freezing of personal accounts and other sanctions against the officers and a ban for a specific period of the purchase of minerals, coffee and timber from the Congo.
However, Porter does not recommend any action against Mayombo, Otafiire and businessman Sam Engola.
The Cabinet also heard that President Museveni and his family, the Government, its companies and institutions were exonerated of any illegal dealing in the DRC.
In an April 2001, report handed to the UN Secretary General, Museveni, his family, top UPDF officers and other Ugandans were implicated in illegal and mass-scale exploitation of DRC.
But a subsequent UN Security Council report cleared Museveni. But UPDF officers such as Lt. Col. Mugyenyi, Maj. Sonko, Maj. Kagezi and Lt. Okumu allegedly defied the President and engaged in business in Congo.
The Cabinet heard that UPDF officers defied the order and carried on with business and that others conspired to record illegal flights as state aircraft flights.
It is said the military airbase at Entebbe should be closed or revert to civilian authority under the Civil Aviation Authority.
Ends
Published on: Tuesday, 18th February, 2003 |
