The anti-corruption court in Kampala has declined to open new charges of abuse of office against the former Executive Director Uganda National Forestry Authority, Damiano Akankwasa.
Uganda National Forestry Authority
Akankwasa was on Wednesday this week arrested by the Inspector General of Government, on the said charges, just after the High Court issued an interim order restraining the IGG from prosecuting him and terminating his services at the authority.
The Inspector General of Government suggested the termination of the executive director over reports of alleged abuse of office.
Akankwasa on the other hand challenges the IGG’s recommendations, which he says are biased.
Despite the High Court order against his prosecution, the IGG went ahead to press new charges of alleged abuse of office that saw him re-arrested.
A magistrate Emmanuel Baguma of the anti-corruption court however says he cannot ignore the order by the High Court against prosecution.
The court’s ruling could leave Damiano Akankwasa a free man until the High Court rules on whether the IGG’s report was fair..
Akankwasa first came into the limelight in 2009 after he accused his wife of having stolen 900 million shillings from their marital home.