Africa-Press – Uganda. The embattled former Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) Executive Director, Mr David Livingstone Ebiru is to face trial for bribery after losing the bid to block his arrest.
High Court Judge Jane Kajuga Okuo at the Kololo based Anti-Corruption Court on September 20 dismissed Mr Ebiru’s application in which he had sought to block his pending arrest warrant and subsequent trial on charges of corruptly offering gratification of Shs100 million before the Chief Magistrate’s court.
The judge concurred with the Attorney General’s submissions objecting and contesting the jurisdiction of the Anti-Corruption Court to handle the application before it for lack of jurisdiction reasoning that it was wrongly filed before the High Court because the magistrate’s court where the charges against Ebiru arises from had powers to grant remedies that were sought.
The High Court can only intervene when a matter has been referred to it by the lower court.
“It is advisable that a magistrate before whom such a matter arises, stays the proceedings and awaits the outcome of the High Court, then determines the matter as directed. He or she would further be required to refer to the High Court only the matter or question relating to the alleged violation of fundamental rights for determination,” Justice Kajuga held.
The judge’s decision was in respect of Mr Ebiru’s application seeking to block his arrest and trial citing enforcement of fundamental human rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Constitution.
Through his lawyers Ebiru had also sought to stop the Inspectorate of Government, its employees and agents from preferring any criminal charges against him and costs for his application.
The judge also noted that Mr Ebiru has yet to answer the preferred charges before the Chief Magistrate’s court as the record shows that the Chief Magistrate first issued a criminal summon to secure his attendance, and then subsequently issued a warrant of arrest for his apprehension.
According to the charge sheet, Mr Ebiru being employed in public service as an Executive Director, Uganda National Bureau of Standard (UNBS) between October and December 2022 corruptly offered gratification of Shs100 million to Charles Masekuura as an inducement to secure his job.
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