Court dismisses lawyer Kiconco’s quest for an interim injunction to halt investigation over his Shs39 billion tea farmers compensation accountability failure

Commercial Court in Kampala has today dismissed an application for an interim and temporary injunction which Kiconco Katabaazi Patrick filed to stop COSASE and CIID from investigating his alleged theft of 39bn meant to pay arrears of Nursery bed farmers in Kigezi Region.

The ruling on the main application for judicial review shall also be given on monday.

Members of Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) had protested against Kiconco’s injuction seeking describing it as unconstitutional and against the powers of COSASE and CIID.

They had warned the commercial court against granting Lawyer Patrick Kiconco Katabaazi, a partner with Pathways Advocates an interim and temporary injunction from being investigated over the failure to account for Shs39 billion meant for Kigezi region tea nursery bed operators.

COSASE challenged Patrick Kiconco Katabaazi to produce documents confirming the payments of the said farmers after NAADS confirmed advancing effecting payments on the said matter.

When he appeared on COSASE, Kiconco could not give the proper answers need to exonerate him from being a dubious dealer.

Kiconco’s Court injunction under Justice Stephen Mubiru who was under fire from COSASE not to grant the temporary injunction.

After the Auditor General’s report that NAADS advanced Shs39 billion to Pathways Advocates to compensate tea nursery operators who had sued government for failure to procure their seedlings, Lawyer Kiconco Patrick Katabaazi was supposed to appear before parliament’s COSASE to account for the funds which he has since failed to do.

The quest came after NAADS boss, Samuel Mugasi, tabled evidence that the agricultural body advanced funds to Pathways Advocates in two instalments of Shs27 billion and Shs12 billion.

Kiconco’s sent one of his partners who the committee rejected and told him that they wanted Kiconco in person.

He failed to appear before committee to respond to claims that his law firm, Pathways Advocates had received UGX 39bn from the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) to clear arrears owed to the farmers in Kigezi Region.

Although counsel Kiconco Patrick Katabaazi finally bowed to pressure and appeared before the committee, he did not give proper explanation.

After appearing before the committee late last month, Legislators found it difficult to extra the needed responses from the said query. This compelled the View Chairperson of the committee Hon. Lucy Akello, to hand Kiconco to Police.

A large section of farmers in the region continue to insist that they have never received any payments calling on the paying party to produce proof of payments.

The money in question came under the spot light a few weeks ago when COSASE started interrogating queries contained in Auditor General Report that NAADS spent UGX 7bn without a budget in Financial Year 2021/22.

In the lead to his arrest, Kiconco claimed that his law firm had cleared said arrears which contradicts what the farmers are saying.

This prompted committee to rule that criminal investigators take over the matter and report back to Parliament for further action.

For any payments made, it must be receipted and documented and MPs are wondering why can’t Kiconco the receipts of the said payment.

COSASE have warned that Kiconco and his Law firm Pathways must prove their innocence by allowing proper investigations rather than running to Courts for an injunction. Watch the space!!!