UGANDA, Arua | Real Muloodi News | The Chief Magistrate’s Court of Arua has fixed a new date for the hearing of a case in which Abason Ingamule, the husband of Huda Abason Oleru, the Minister of State for Defence and Veteran Affairs, is accused of failing to pay rent arrears amounting to USh5,421,961.
The hearing was supposed to take place on March 15, 2023, but was postponed until April 13, 2023, due to the absence of the assigned magistrate.
The case was filed on February 2, 2023, by Jurua Karilo Alia, who alleged that Ingamule failed to clear rent arrears, water bills, and personal belongings, totalling USh5,421,961. Civil suit number 0013 of 2023 was filed in the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Arua.
The Claimant’s Case
Jurua claimed that Ingamule rented his house at Niva Cell (Junior Quarters) in Arua Central Division, Arua City, for 3 years and 9 months from October 2017 to July 2021, at the rate of USh500,000 per month.
According to Jurua, Ingamule happily lived in the house with his family until his wife was sworn in as the Member of Parliament (MP) representing Aringa East County, and later a minister, thus shifting to stay in Kampala.
Jurua alleged that he received a total of USh19,000,000 broken down as (USh17,000,000, USh500,000, USh1,000,000, and USh500,000) out of a total of USh22,500,000, leaving an outstanding balance of USh3,500,000.
At the time of vacating the house, the defendant left an accumulated water bill of UShs1,271,961, totalling USh4,771,961.
When Ingamule left the house, he also allegedly went with Jurua’s personal belongings, including ten pieces of plastic chairs each at USh25,000 totalling USh250,000, ten pieces of plastic stools each at USh10,000 totalling USh100,000, two pieces of plastic tables each at USh25,000 totalling to USh50,000, three pieces of double curtains each at USh50,000 totalling to USh150,000, and one flat iron Philips original at USh100,000, all totalling to USh650,000.
“That the plaintiff (Jurua) received a total of Shs19,000,000 broken down as (Shs17,000,000, Shs500,000, Shs1,000,000 and Shs500,000) out of a total of Shs22,500,000 leaving outstanding balance of Shs3,500,000. That at the time of vacating the house, the Defendant (Ingamule) left an accumulated water bill of Shs1,271,961 totaling to Shs4,771,961,” the suit read in part.
“That when the Defendant (Ingamule) left the house, he went with the plaintiff’s personal belongings to wit; 10 pcs of plastic chairs each at Shs25,000 totaling to Shs250,000, 10 pcs of plastic stools each at Shs10,000 totaling to Shs100,000, 2 pcs of plastic tables each at Shs25,000 totaling to Shs50,000, 3 pcs of double curtains each at Shs50,000 totaling to Shs150,000 and 1 flat Iron Philips original at Shs100,000, all totaling to Shs650,000,” Jurua claimed in the court documents.
Due to the accumulated water bill that remained unpaid by Ingamule, National Water and Sewerage Corporation staff removed the water meter, which made the premises inhabitable to tenants until to date, hence causing a loss in terms of rental income.
The Defendant’s Defense
In his defence filed in Court on February 21, 2023, through his lawyer, Nasur Muhamad Buga of M/S Buga & Co. Advocates, Ingamule denied entering into a tenancy agreement with Jurua and therefore, not indebted to him to the tune of USh5,421,961.
Ingamule claimed that Jurua borrowed USh17m from him, which he hasn’t cleared in full.
“Jurua borrowed money from me even the document tabled in the court has that content of the money he borrowed. He borrowed USh17,000,000 from me, and I was supposed to enter his house, but I have not entered. I wanted my money back, but he has not paid. Instead of paying my money, he has gone ahead,” Ingamule said.
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