By Farooq Kasule
Relentless city lawyer Male Mabirizi has resurrected the age case against National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi Wine.
In a private criminal prosecution opened at Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, Mabirizi accuses Kyagulanyi of giving false information to the Ministry of Works in regard to his age upon which he was issued a driving permit.
“Based on a letter given to me by the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Works and Transport, Kyagulanyi gave his date of birth as February 2, 1982 instead of February 2, 1980 when he was born, which is false,” Mabirizi contends.
Mabirizi wants the court to issue criminal summons against Kyagulanyi to answer the alleged charges of giving false information to a public officer and registration by false pretense.
Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court is yet to pronounce itself on the application. Mabirizi has made several attempts to prosecute Kyagulanyi, but in vain. Asked why he targets Kyagulanyi, he said, “My job is to ensure the rule of law and honest leadership in the country. I hate liars.”
This month, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Francis Abodo, withdrew a case against Kyagulanyi, where he was charged with obtaining false registration at Makerere University.
Last year, Mabirizi filed a case at the Chief Magistrate Law Development Center challenging Kyagulanyi’s graduation from Makerere with a diploma in music, dance and drama. He alleged that Kyagulanyi had been wrongly admitted at the university under the mature age entry scheme.
Mabirizi claimed that Kyagulanyi was 20 years old at the time and yet the prospectus of 1999/2000-2001/2002 stated that for one to be admitted, they had to be 25 years old or should have completed formal education.
Later, the DPP took over prosecution, which Mabirizi protested, indicating that he would continue prosecuting the case under private prosecution.
