Businessman Sudhir Ruparelia, through his lawyers led by Kampala Associated Advocates, has sued the Bank of Uganda (BOU) Legal head Margaret Kaggwa Kasule for contempt of Court.
“Our client was the successful party in Court of Appeal Civil Appeal 252 of 2019 Crane Bank Limited (In Receivership) vs Sudhir Ruparelia & Another where the Court of Appeal upheld the decision of the High Court in High Court Civil Suit 493 of 2017 to wit that the 131 Respondent had no locus to institute proceedings against the Applicant and its plaint did not disclose a cause of action,” part of the notice of intention to sue reads.
“TAKE NOTICE that our client has thus decided to institute legal proceedings against you for contempt of court orders for your role in the illegal liquidation of our client’s Bank,” the notice adds.
Kasule is accused of advising the Central Bank place Crane Bank into liquidation even when she was aware that upon closure of Crane Bank, it ceased to be a financial institution, by notice dated 16th October 2020.
Without staying the execution of the judgment of Court of Appeal, she is said to have advised BOU to apply for a temporary injunction restraining Sudhir from filing resolutions concerning Crane Bank Limited with Uganda Registration Services Bureau vide MA No. 32 and MA No. 33.
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“The interests of justice therefore demand that a mandatory interlocutory injunction is issued to restore the status quo that existed at the time of filing Civil Appeal No.07 of 2020,” the notice continues “In the present case, the contempt by the 2nd respondent relates to conduct which perverts the course of justice. The attempt at circumvention of the decision of the Court of Appeal by altering the status of the 1st respondent from Crane Bank (in receivership) to Crane Bank (in liquidation) was in our view aimed at impeding or perverting the course of justice before this court and the same amounted to contempt.”
Apart from Kasule, implicated in contempt of Court include; Governor Emmanuel Mutebile, Deputy Governor, Executive Director Supervision, Director Research, and Director Economic among others.
