Former Uganda Airlines (UR, Entebbe) chief executive Cornwell Muleya has been acquitted of a charge of disobedience relating to his failure to appear in person before the country's Inspectorate General of Government (IGG) to testify on the mismanagement of public funds at the state-owned airline, according to local media reports.
The Buganda Road Magistrates court in Kampala on October 31 found that his failure to appear before the IGG was excusable. "Having examined the evidence on record as a whole and subjected it to a thorough and exhaustive scrutiny, I find that Muleya's failure to appear before IGG was excusable," the magistrate ruled.
Muleya was arrested in June after he failed to respond to a May 23, 2022, summons by the IGG to appear and present documents regarding the alleged mismanagement of public funds, irregular procurements and staff recruitment at Uganda Airlines during his tenure.
Muleya denied the charges and explained that he had been out of the country at the time the summons were served. He presented travel documents and medical forms to support his claim. Magistrate Asuman Muhumuza that Muleya had tendered his passport and air tickets in court as proof that he had travelled to South Africa and Dubai between June 7 and June 14. On his return, he was admitted to Mulago hospital in Kampala for ten days' rest.
"I am surprised that the IGG did not find the same explanation compelling upon the arrest of the accused. I find that the accused's failure to appear for the summons is not defiance, as the prosecutor had put it, but it was a just reasonable excuse. "For those reasons, the accused person is not found guilty and is acquitted," the magistrate said.
He noted that Muleya had maintained that it had never been his intention not to cooperate with the IGG but that his lawyers had raised concerns about the email request he had received and wanted further clarity.
ch-aviation has reached out to Muleya for comment.
