Former Works Minister Eng. Abraham Byandala has walked out of court a free man because prosecution failed to adduce evidence implicating him in shs 24 billion Katosi Road scam.
On Wednesday morning anti-corruption court in Kololo acquitted Byandala and his six co-accused of abuse of office that led to financial loss to government in the Mukono Kyetume-Katosi road scandal.
He was of directing for the immediate signing of a contract in 2013 between Eutaw and UNRA before due diligence which later turned out a scam of shs 24.7 billion.
Prosecution earlier alleged that Byandala had connived with businessman Apolo Senkeeto alias Mark Kalyesubula a representative of Eutaw Construction Company, former UNRA acting executive director Eng Berunado Ssebbugga Kimeze, Joe Ssemugooma (former director of finance and administration), Isaac Mugote, a former staff at Housing Finance bank and Wilberforce Senjako,the former regional accountant for UNRA.
“There was nothing arbitrary in writing the letter that gave a go ahead for signing the contract between UNRA and Euraw,” Justice Lawrence Gidudu said in his ruling.
“It has not been established that he was aware or had reason to believe that the bond securities provided were fake.”
The judge said that because by then UNRA lacked a board of directors, Byandala as the line minister was directly charged with supervision of the body.
“It was a normal internal communication and there is no reason for holding Byandala culpable of abuse of office.”
“Prosecution failed to adduce evidence to show that Byabagambi acted on Byandala’s advice,”Gidudu said.