Jinja High Court has overturned results for the Member of Parliament for Iganga Municipality by the declaring Abed Nasser Mudiobole, as the rightful occupant of the seat, thereby throwing out NRM’s Peter Mugema aka Panadol.
The presiding judge Margaret Mutonyi said Mudiobole, through his lawyers of Alex Luganda, Asumani Nyonyintono and Benny Mutamba, adduced sufficient evidence to prove that Mugema bribed voters to make it to parliament.
According to petition, Mr Mudiobole told court that Mugema the then incumbent bribed voters with money even on the voting date and video clips were produced in court to this effect during hearing.
It was also proved that Mr Mugema made a donation of three hundred thousand shillings to Bethel Healing Church on the eve of the election.
The judge accordingly declared Mudiobole as the Member of Parliament for Iganga Municipality and ordered Mugema hitherto the Member of Parliament to meet all costs incurred by the petitioner.
She said the decision to declare Mudiobole as the legitimate legislator stemmed from the proof adduced and the desire to save the tax payer’s money in the name of organizing fresh elections yet the race had only two candidates.
She ordered the Electoral Commission to gazette Mudiobole and the clerk of parliament to pick a certified copy of the ruling upon which to accommodate the new legislator for Iganga.
However, Mugema through his lawyer, Kiwanuka & Karugire Advocates has vowed to appeal against the ruling saying he is being politically witch-hunted for supporting Kampala Central Member of Parliament Mohamed Nsereko during the election of the deputy speaker of the tenth parliament.