By Jane Nambi

Business man, Hassan Basajjabalaba was arrested at Entebbe airport yesterday as he tried to escape the country after being found guilty of tax evasion.

Director of Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (CIID), Grace Akullo said that Basajjabalaba presented forged court bail papers before the alerted security at the airport, saying that he had appeared in court and bailed. “That is another case of forgery, where he did he get the court papers and when did he appear in court,” Akullo asked.

She explained that security personnel at the airport called her to inquire whether it was true the tycoon was on either police bond or court bail.
“I told them I was not aware of that and asked them to just arrest him and take him to the SIU (Special investigations Unit) in Kireka,” Akullo explained. Basajjabalaba was picked from the departure lounge and driven to Kampala in a private car.

Akullo directed that he be locked up at Kireka.

Basajjabalaba had already been served with police summons and was wanted at the CIID in Kibuli to make a statement in regard to a case of forgery and uttering a false document but disregarded the summons. He is wanted for allegedly forging a court document in the sh142b market compensation scandal, involving the various contracts he entered into in 2002 with the defunct Kampala City Council to manage, control and maintain three city markets – Nakasero, St. Balikuddembe, and Shauriyako plus the Constitutional Square.

Director of Public Prosecutions, Richard Butera endorsed charges of forgery against Basajjabalaba.