Africa-Press – Uganda. COURT|CRIME|DPP
KAMPALA – Court has cleared three employees of MTK Uganda Limited of sh1b fraud resulting from drug supply to government.The Anti-Corruption Court Grade One Magistrate Moses Nabende Thursday (December 31, 2020) cleared Fiona Migadde Kitaka, Francis Kitaka Jr and Alex Natukunda after the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) lost interest in the case.”Following the withdrawal of the charges by the DPP, all the charges against the accused are hereby discontinued,” Nabende ruled.The charges dropped include causing financial loss, obtaining money by false pretence, forgery, uttering false documents and conspiracy to defraud.The court also directed that sh15m each of the trio paid to secure bail returned to them together with passports and land titles.
Fiona Kitaka, 49, is the MTK chief executive officer, Francis Kitaka Jr, 41, the operations manager. Both are residents of Muyenga in Kampala, while Natukunda, 47, a resident of Namugongo, Wakiso district, is the company chief commercial officer.MTK, which deals in animal and crop, human and public health drugs, was established in 1967.Court documents indicate that the trio obtained sh1b from the agriculture ministry after supplying 190,000 doses of foot and mouth disease vaccine – Fortivax.The money was wired by the agriculture ministry, to MTK’s Barclays Bank account but were arrested and charged with the offences on grounds that the certificate of analysis for the drugs was not issued by the Kenya Veterinary Vaccines Production Institute (KEVEVAPI) manufactured the drugs.CelebrationsImmediately after the court decision, Fiona Migadde and Francis Kitaka Jr were seen with all smiles while their relatives clapped, saying we are entering 2021 with clean hands.
Subsequently, they proceeded to their offices, located on Nasser road and celebrated their victory with the staff. Prayers were also conducted in remembrance of their late father, Francis Xavier Kitaka.Francis Xavier Kitaka, entrepreneur and former chairperson of Cooper Uganda Limited and MTK Holdings Limited succumbed to COVID-19 in September and died.”I thank his excellence, President Yoweri Museveni for ensuring justice has prevailed during the cause of inquiries,” Fiona Migadde appreciated.Meanwhile, the visibly jovial Kitaka junior said, “It is an amazing feeling. We thank God for this day. Unfortunately, this victory has been achieved when our father is dead. We assure the country that we shall continue to offer quality services.”Kitaka revealed that the discontinuation of the charges was not a surprise to them because the impugned drugs were tested in an American laboratory and found to be genuine.
