Court halts Parliamentary oil probe

The Constitutional Court has issued an order halting the ongoing Parliamentary probe against Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and 2 ministers over allegations of corruption in the oil sector.

Amama Mbabazi and Ministers Sam Kutesa and Hilary Onek are being investigated by Parliament for allegedly taking billions in bribes to favor some oil companies.

The order halting the probe by the Adhoc Cmmittee on the oil sector arises from a case filed by one Sevino Twinobusingye, a high court advocate and voter from Kanungu.

He is challenging the probe against the ministers, saying Parliament acted impulsively in instituting the same, basing their decision on forged documents.

He says the ministers were not given a fair hearing before the said probe kicked off.

Parliament through its assistant director of legal services Sitra Chemistora has asked to be party to the case, previously filed against the attorney general.

The judges have now set the 14th of December to decide whether or not Parliament should be allowed to be party to the petition.

The 5 judges led by deputy chief justice Alice Mpagi Bahigeine have now halted the probe until the court has made a final decision on the matter.

The Court order also affects the proceedings before the rules and discipline commitee, on whether or not the Prime Minister and Minister Hillary Onek acted in contempt of Parliament, by refusing to step down from office pending the said investigation.

Story by Ruth Anderah

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