MP jailed for failing to pay ugx 21m poll petition cost

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Member of Parliament Upper Madi County Isaac Etuka Joakino has been jailed.

Etuka was on Thursday evening sent to Luzira Prison by Court of Appeal Registrar Agnes Nkonge for failing to pay 21 Million Shillings to Arumadri John Drazu, the former MP for Madi who had challenged his 2016 election victory.

“This is to authorize and require you to receive the said Etuka Isaac Joakino into your custody for a period not exceeding six months and court hereby affixes a sum of shillings 3,000 per diem payable weekly”, read the ruling.

Trouble for MP Etuka started in 2016 when Arumadri, a Forum for Democratic Change Candidate in the elections petitioned court challenging Etuka’s nomination and election in Arua High Court.

However, Justice John Keitirima ruled that Etuka was legally nominated.  Arumadri appealed challenging the ruling of Justice Keitirima.

At the court of appeal, a panel of three Judges, Remmy Kasule, Richard Buteera and Alfonse Owiny – Dollo overturned Keitirima’s ruling.

They ruled that Etuka was wrongly nominated in the race by the Election Commission and thus ordered for fresh elections which he again won in 2017.

However they directed Etuka to pay Arumadri costs of the appeal.

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