Lawyer Bob Kasango dies in Luzira Prison
By Correspondent
Lawyer Bob Kasango died last evening from Luzira Prison where he was facing several charges. A close friend confirmed that Kasango passed away in the early hours of Saturday evening.
A postmortem will be carried out to find out the cause of death. Kasango was thrown in the eye of the storm during the pension case and another high-profile case involving the Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisa.
His death was confirmed by his close associate and business partner Andrew Mwenda. “Yes, it is true Bob is dead,” Mwenda said.
“My uncle Bob Kasango has died from Luzira Prison due to heart failure. Last met him at the prison before COVID-19 . Rest well my uncle you have been such a great lawyer outside prison. We will always remember you for your kindness and generosity,” eulogized one the young lawyers Richard Komakech.
In February, 2018 the Director of Public Prosecution Mike Chibita launched an investigation to ascertain lawyer Bob Kasango’s health claims, that had stalled the hearing of the sh15 billion pension case before the Anti-corruption Court against him and three former jailed officials of the Ministry of Public Service. However, Kasango’s health claims were rubbished until last evening when they are proved right.
In 2018 the Anti-Corruption Court sentenced lawyer Bob Kasango to 16 years in jail for unlawfully accessing money meant for pensioners. The lawyer was sent to jail with three former top officials of the ministry of Public Service, with whom he was jointly accused in the matter.
The others jailed were former Public Service permanent secretary Jimmy Lwamafa (nine years), former Public Service principal account in charge of pensions Christopher Obey (14 years) and former Public Service commissioner for the compensation department Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa (nine years).
Kasango was accused of various counts of theft and forgery of two judicial document to steal Shs15.4b of pension money and conspiracy to commit a crime.
The Shs15.4b was diverted to the account of Kasango’s Hall and Partners law firm by the three officials.
The charges ranged from conspiracy to defraud, conspiracy to commit a felony, forgery, to theft and diversion of public funds.
Prosecution says the money that was eventually paid into Kasango’s firm’s account as legal fees was meant for payment of 6,340 pensioners. Kasango is also accused of receiving the money into his law firm’s bank account yet he did not represent the pensioners in a case against the Attorney General, which they had won and a result of which they were to be paid the said amount.