Kutesa: I am not under any travel ban

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa says he is not under any travel ban despite reports that his name was mentioned in a UN bribery case.

Kutesa was responding to a concern raised by Kawempe North Member of Parliament Latif Ssebaggala during a meeting with Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on the financial year 2019/2020 budget framework paper.

Ssebaggala tasked Kutesa to explain international reports he said indicated authorities are on the lookout to arrest him after a case where money was reportedly transferred to him by a Chinese businessman Patrick Chi-Ping Ho through intermediary banks in the United States.

A preliminary report presented to Parliament has since cleared Kutesa of any wrongdoing, saying the money was a donation.

In response, Kutesa said that he was free to move anywhere, revealing that he was recently in Brussels on official duty.

Late last year, the New York Southern District Court jury convicted Ho, a former Hong Kong Minister, of eight counts of bribery and money laundering over oil rights for Chinese conglomerate CEFC China Energy, in Chad and Uganda.

According to the complaint, Ho allegedly paid $500,000 believed to be a bribe via wires transmitted through intermediary banks in the US and transferred to a Ugandan Bank. The money was later credited on the account of Food Security and Sustainable Energy Foundation, a charity managed by Sam Kutesa and his wife.

United States Federal prosecutors told court that the money was meant to secure business advantages for the Energy Company and potential acquisition of a Ugandan bank. Ho reportedly wanted Kutesa to connect the energy company to President Yoweri Museveni and assist the company to obtain lucrative opportunities in Uganda’s energy sector.

Kutesa reportedly committed to support the energy company to form a long term strategic partnership with Uganda, in its energy, hydroelectric and financial industries and to arrange a meeting with President Museveni. He also expressed willingness to assist the energy company to form a partnership with Uganda, if the company intended to make investments in Uganda’s four known oil fields, national bank, hydro-electricity grid and railway construction.

In December, Museveni directed Attorney General William Byaruhanga to ascertain whether the money was for charity or not as claimed by Kutesa.

A preliminary report presented to Parliament has since cleared Kutesa of any wrongdoing. Byaruhanga said that the Minister was not involved in any form of bribery as had been alleged.

“While it is true Kutesa’s name is mentioned in the indictment and featured in the course of trial, He is not an accused or suspect in any criminal matter that is currently on-going,” Byaruhanga told parliament.

Byaruhanga said that Kutesa’s foundation is a lawfully registered Ugandan entity incorporated on July 24th 2015 and received $500,000 in 2016 from a Hong Kong-based NGO known as China Energy Fund Committee.

“It was a donation to Kutesa’s company started as a vehicle to enable him continue championing some of the causes he had spearheaded during his tenure as the president of UN general assembly with respect to the 17 sustainable development goals,” added Byaruhanga.

He, however, told parliament that investigation into the matter are on-going.

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URN