The Spokesperson Uganda Prisons, Frank Baine has dismissed reports that city lawyer, Bob Kasango has died inside Luzira prison.
Baine says Kasango died on Saturday February 27, 2021 in the evening while being transported from Murchison’s Bay Prison – Luzira to Mulago hospital for further treatments.
His remarks follow reports making rounds on social media alleging that the controversial lawyer died inside Luzira prison.
Kasango was announced dead over alleged heart failure but details of the cause still remains scanty as a postmortem reports awaits.
By the time of his death, he was serving a 16 year jail sentence in the controversial pension case in which Shs 15 billions meant for pensioners were fraudulently stolen.
During the case, Kasango missed several hearings, saying he was suffering from several complications including heart failure, pneumonia and recurrent blood clot in the lungs for which he wanted specialized medical treatment abroad.
In 2018, the Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Justice Margret Tibulya, found Kasango and three others guilty of diversion of funds, fraud, forgery, theft, and conspiracy to defraud government funds worth Ugx 15 billions meant for pensioners.
Court sentenced him to jail for 16 years, a sentence he has been serving at the time of his death.
Other sentenced officials in this case includes; former Public Service officials Jimmy Lwamafa (9), Christopher Obey (14) and Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa (9)
- Lwamafa is a former Public Service Permanent Secretary, Obey a former Public Service principal account in charge of pensions Obey and Kunsa a former Public Service Commissioner for the compensation department.
In her ruling, justice Tibulya ordered that in addition to the 16 years in jail, Kasango should also compensate the government sh5 billion while Lwamafa was ordered to compensate government 3 billion shillings.
According to justice Tibulya, court relied on the recorded evidence by John Keitirima, then a registrar at the Civil Division of the High Court to declare its ruling.
Keitirima who is now a High Court judge, then in his evidence to court revealed how Kasango allegedly asked him to help cover the forgeries so he can get money from government.
The forged court documents included a bill of taxation and certificate of order purportedly issued by Charles Abola and 6,337 ex-servicemen who had sued Government demanding their pension.
Lwamafa, Kunsa, and Obey are serving another jail sentence for diverting 88 Billion Shillings that was meant for payment of pensions. Obey is serving 10 years, Lwamafa seven and Kunsa five