Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja has bailed out a 40-year-old woman, Gertrude Nalule who had been sentenced to serve a six-month imprisonment term for failure to pay Shs2.88 million.
Nabbanja held a meeting today at Mengo Chief Magistrates Court to interact with court officials about the plight of Nalule and other women whom she interacted with at Luzira prison yesterday.
The meeting was also attended by Lubaga RCC, Anderson Burora, Kampala minister Hajjati Minsa Kabanda, and Attorney General representatives.
In the said meeting, the Nateete /Lubaga grade one magistrate, Amon Mugezi found it hard to explain to the Prime Minister why he sent Nalule to prison without visiting the locus and acquainting himself with the facts of the case, something the Nabbanja says was unfair and led to a miscarriage of justice.
After rescuing Nalule, a widow of 7 children by paying Shs2.88 million on her behalf, Nabbanja warned that courts should be more vigilant in handling cases that involve fraudulent money lenders.
Nabbanja was informed that the said money is part of the damages and costs of a suit filed by her neighbour, Godfery Bazaale.
Nalule lost her husband to a motor accident and when villagers raised condolence money, she used it to purchase a plot of land at Namugoona-Kigobe zone eight years ago. However, during the Covid -19 lockdown, Baazale extended financial help of Shs7 million since she was not working.
That because Nalule would not pay back the money , Bazaale allegedly made her sign a sale agreement purporting to sell- off her plot of land at Shs10 million. Nalule later refused the Shs3 million balance as well as giving vacant possession of the said plot to Bazaale.
This prompted Bazaale to institute court proceedings against her and a judgment of Shs2.88 million as damages and costs of the suit was entered against her, leading to her arrest last Friday and subsequent committal to Luzira prison.
Nabbanja visited Nalule and other prisoners after her plight was highlighted in the news
