The state has withdrawn bribery charges against the former Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) executive director David Livingstone Ebiru.
Ebiru has been facing charges of offering a Shs 100 million bribe or gratification to Charles Masekuura, the UNBS board chairperson between October and December 2022. The bribe was allegedly part of his efforts to retain his position as the UNBS executive director.
URN has however seen a letter written by the Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) Dr Patricia Achan Okiria addressed to the Anti-Corruption court indicating that the government of Uganda is no longer interested in continuing with the case.
“Take notice that the Government of Uganda intends that the proceedings against Livingstone Ebiru shall not continue,” reads the letter.
It however doesn’t indicate reasons for withdrawing the charges. Although the withdrawal letter has already been received on the court record, Ebiru will be formally discharged on October 31, 2023, when the matter will be returned for mention before the trial chief magistrate Joan Aciro.
The charges against Ebiru have been withdrawn without him ever stepping foot in court. He was arrested and brought to court premises on July 26, 2023, taken back to IGG/police and released under unclear circumstances.
The court issued a criminal summons requiring him to appear in court and be charged but he didn’t show up. A warrant of arrest had been issued against him earlier by the IGG. However, moments after being taken into the court cells, he was taken back to the office of the IGG/police before the court could convene, hence the issuance of a criminal summons against him.
Court later on August 8 issued a warrant of arrest requiring police to arrest Ebiru upon sight and compel him to come and take a plea. Instead, his lawyers filed a case before the High Court challenging the trial seeking the court to make a declaration that the criminal summons, warrant of arrest, and trial against him were illegal.
Ebiru had also sought a permanent injunction against the IGG and her agents from instituting charges against him. He had also sought an order for compensation against the government for violating his fundamental rights. He argued that the proceedings were being levied against him before investigations could be finalized and that he was to suffer irreparable damages.
Anti-Corruption court judge Jane Kajuga on September 20, 2023, dismissed Ebiru’s application for lack of jurisdiction, thereby okaying the charges that have been withdrawn to continue. Commenting about the decision to withdraw charges, Ebiru’s lawyers led by Silas Kahima Mugabi said that the charges were maliciously levied against their client and they are not surprised that the same have been withdrawn.
“From day one, the charges were a nonstarter, borne out of malice and without proper investigations being done, so it’s not surprising they have been withdrawn,” Mugabe said.
Ebiru had earlier told the parliament’s public accounts committee on commissions, statutory authorities, and state enterprises committee (PAC-COSASE) that he bribed UNBS board chair, Charles Musekura with Shs 100 million. However, he later turned around and said he made the confession out of anger and that he had never actually bribed anyone.
He would later be sacked in August following a parliamentary probe and an investigation by the Uganda Bureau of Standards (UNBS) Board.
