KAMPALA – Legislators on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) have rejected medical records presented by disgraced Secretary to Judiciary, Kivumbi Kagole and ordered scrutiny into the purported medical records.
After snubbing the meeting with MPs on the Public Accounts Committee on Tuesday 2, Mr. Kagole on Wednesday showed up blaming an emergency medical condition for failing to show up to explain how Shs34Bn ended up on personal accounts of Judiciary staff.
Nandala Mafabi, PAC Chairman questioned the authenticity of the documents pointing out that the records had no indication of the medication Kagole had been prescribed to having admitted he was on medication.
He said; “You know if you want to steal, you must prepare your mind in advance. You got medication, is there a tick on medication. Do you have to force us to sit and wait for the medical form? I think you have taken us for granted. This form was got this morning.”
Earlier in the day, the Committee was forced to adjourn for 30minutes to allow Kagole to obtain the medical documents after MPs demanded for evidence of his medical condition.
Pentagon Kamusiime (Butemba County) called for verification of Kagole’s medical emergencies stating that his conduct depicts the rot eating up the Judiciary; “We need confirmation that indeed the gentleman had a medical emergency. Ugandans are at pain and we know how the Judiciary has put intense suffering on people. So when we have such a pain and we see such technical people dilly darling then you know there is big rot in the institution.”
Kagole also shocked MPs when he denied sending Obed Mwebesa as his personal lawyer to represent him arguing he was simply hired to deliver the message on behalf of the Committee.
He explained; “The advocate didn’t come to represent me in the committee. I didn’t give him any instructions, I asked him to walk into the office of the chairperson and convey the message. There was a question that did I send an attorney? The answer is no. I sent somebody whom I know to deliver the message in person not to represent me in the committee as a permanent secretary. I was in a situation where I couldn’t write.”
Kagole had earlier rejected the request to present the medical records arguing making his records public would contravene his rights as a public servant; “I would request I bring them tomorrow. In the civil service, medical records of the public officer before they are put in the public domain, there are standing order guidelines.”
On why he didn’t delegate powers to a junior as required by the law, Kagole said that the Under Secretary didn’t have the instruments of powers to stand in for him but had knowledge that the Permanent Secretary had an emergency.
The Committee later agreed to have the medical records from Bugoloobi Medical Center verified saying the case was very sensitive before a decision is taken.
