Court Allows DPP to Prosecute Minister Kuteesa for Defying Presidential Directives on Covid19

The case in which Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kuteesa is accused of allowing Ben Kavuya’s family back despite Presidential directives prohibiting passengers flights from entering and exiting the country will be handled by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

This follows a decision by the Buganda Road Magistrates Court to hand over the matter to the DPP.

Sometime in March, it emerged that Kuteesa had authorized Ben Kabuya’s wife and other members of his family to fly back to Uganda from the US.

Kuteesa was widely criticized for flouting Presidential directives.

The President closed airports and borders to stem the importation of coronavirus.

Kampala lawyer, Leonard Otee petitioned Buganda Road magistrates court seeking for private prosecution of Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa and the three returnees who are part of Kavuya’s family.

The DPP, however, requested the court to be allowed to take over the prosecution which Senior Grade One Magistrate Stella Maris Amabilis agreed to.

“The DPP has powers to take over criminal proceedings at any time because the Constitution which is the supreme law of the land overrides the Magistrates Courts Act,” the magistrate ruled.

Amabilis rubbished Otee’s application for a private prosecution, ordering the lawyer to provide his evidence to the DPP.

The Tower Post