KAMPALA. The Former Kyadondo East MP, Apollo Kantinti is chocking on debts after being committed again to serve six months at Luzira-civil prison over non-payment of UGX 108 million from expenses arising out of an election petition appeal that he lost against his NRM rival – Sitenda Sebalu.
Mr Kantinti’s ordeal today comes after his 10 days-duration in Luzira prison over another debt amounting to UGX 300 million which he defaulted having acquired a loan from Standard Chartered Bank in June 2016.
This loan was to enable him participate in a by-election to fill the Kyadondo East MP post that the High court had declared vacant.
Mr Kantinti had promised to pay the Bank within 50 months after the highly-contested political race, however, he lost the by-election to Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka. Bobi Wine.
His inability to refund the money prompted the bank to use the High court’s Execution Division to recover its funds.
The former MP was then penalised to serve six months at Luzira civil prison on June 27, 2019 by Deputy Registrar, Flavia Nabakooza.
However, when Mr Sebalu learnt that Kantinti had been released from prison, he applied for a production warrant to have him produced before the court of Appeal today, over non-payment of the UGX 108 million.
When asked by the Deputy Registrar to schedule a repayment date, the former MP refused and instead told court that he would rather serve the six months imprisonment term instead of paying his rival costs from a lost election petition.
“Whereas Hon Apollo Kantinti was ordered by decree of Court to pay costs of the election petition appeal No 033 of 2016 to pay the decree holder the sum of UGX 108,760,00 and whereas the said sum has not been paid.
This is to authorize and require you to receive the said Hon Apollo Kantinti into your custody for a period not exceeding six months and court hereby others a sum of Shs3000 per diem payable weekly,” reads an excerpt from the warrant.
However, Mr Sebalu said that these are some of the occupational hazards that Mr Kantinti cannot run away from especially when he joined politics.
He also said that Mr Kantinti must know that when a matter goes to court there is always a loser and a winner who is awarded costs.
