By Juliet Kigongo
Court has withdrawn criminal summons against businessman Patrick Bitature and his wife Carol Nzaro that required them to appear and answer criminal charges related to the $26 milion commercial dispute with South African money lender Vantage Mezzanine Fund II Partnership until investigations are complete.
Joan Keko, the Chief State Attorney has asked the Chief Magistrates Court at Buganda Road, presided over by Ronald Kayiizi to withdraw the criminal summons pending investigations.
“The criminal summons which were issued before the DPP took over and therefore they collapsed that is why we never applied for the extension of summons. We pray those criminal summons are vacated until investigations are complete,” Ms Keko submitted.
Court heard that a letter was written to police requesting them to start investigating the matter after the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) took over, however, later documents were received from the private prosecutor Robert Kirunda as per the previous court’s directive.
The matter is now adjourned to April 3, 2024, when the state will update court on the investigations
