By Ronald Nahabwe
Kampala: Embattled city lawyer Bob Kasango, who is languishing in Luzira prisons over corruption charges, will stay behind bars longer than he expected, after the Court of Appeal rejecting his bail application.
Kasango and other former top officials of the ministry of public service are currently in prison serving more than 15 years each, after being convicted of embezzling public funds. The applicant was sentenced to 16 years in jail last year by the Anti-corruption court presided over by Justice Margret Tibulya. He was accused of conniving with Jimmy Lwamafa, Christopher Obey and Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa to cause financial loss of Shs15Bn in the pension scam that rocked the Ministry of Public service a few years back. Kasango had applied for bail on grounds that his health condition is deteriorating, but court rejected his claims. Justice Ezekiel Muhanguzi rejected Kasango’s application on grounds that in case he is granted bail, the applicant will be difficult to trace because he failed to furnish court with documents showing the right place of his abode.
Justice Muhanguzi also ruled that the medical documents that Kasango produced instructing him to fly abroad for specialized treatment were not convincing enough to prove that he can’t receive such treatment in Uganda. Justice Muhanguzi noted that Kasango had not presented medical clearance from the Uganda Medical Board to show that he really urgently needed special medical treatment from India, USA or UK. Kasango claims he suffers from chronic diseases like cardiac arrest and lung complications which need frequent specialised medical attention and had been advised by his doctors to go for special heart surgery abroad. He told court that was diagnosed with lung complications and was recommended to have a daily oxygen supplement at least four hours twice a day, which is hard to get in prison and that he also suffers a lapsed lower spinal disc, plus acute ulcers. He requested court to set him free so that he can travel abroad and get treatment which would improve his health. However, after the rejection of his bail application, Kasango’s lawyers vowed to legally battle on so that their client doesn’t rot from Luzira prisons.
