MASINDI LC5 BOSS WAIVES COURT COSTS AGAINST HIS RIVAL

By Innocent Atuganyira

MASINDI:
The Masindi district LCV Chairperson Cosmas Byaruhanga has finally broken the chains and pardoned the family of the former Masindi district LCV Chairperson Late Wilson Isingoma Mugimba for court costs resulting from the election petitions filed against him.

After the NRM primaries in 2020, Mugimba ran to the NRM secretariat in Kampala challenging the victory of Byaruhanga, Mugimba cited that Byaruhanga had been involved in vote bribery in Bujenje, Bwijanga, Budongo, and areas.

However, when Mugimba ran to the NRM secretariat to challenge his opponent, Byaruhanga had already been nominated as the NRM flag bearer for Masindi district LCV seat.

Later Mugimba filed a petition against Cosmas Byaruhanga, and the electoral commission at Masindi High Court challenging the victory of Cosmas Byaruhangaas as the NRM flag bearer for the Masindi LCV Chairperson.

He petitioned that Byaruhanga who was declared the National Resistance Movement – NRM flag bearer was not the true bearer.

Later the court dismissed the case with costs. This prompted Mugimba to bounce back as an Independent Candidate for the seat lost to his opponent Cosmas Byaruhanga.

Unfortunately Mugimba died on 15th July 2022 at Lacor hospital in Gulu after an operation for prostate enlargement before paying the court costs totalling to 200 million shillings.

Recently during the Court procession presided over by the Masindi High Court Registrar, Sayuni David, Cosmas Byaruhanga pardoned the family of Late Mugimba over unpaid court costs.

According to Council Simon Kasangaki, the lawyer representing Byaruhanga Cosmas, his client instructed him to withdraw the case and terminate the court costs against Late Mugimba.

‘’When someone passes away and leaves behind some unpaid debt, his assets are attached through legal processes to clear the debt,’’ he said.

Kasangaki however said that for the case of his client, he decided to terminate the costs adding that it was for good thought.