Maverick- brilliant city lawyer Bob Kasango is dead . He was declared dead at Luzira prison due to heart failure .
Kasango was serving a 16 year jail-term after he was convicted of embezzling billions in a pension case. During the case, Kasango missed several hearings when he was reported ill -suffering from several complications including heart illness, pneumonia and recurrent blood clot in the lungs for which he wanted specialized medical treatment abroad.
“My brother and best friend, Robert Aldridge Kasango aka Q, just died in Machison Bay Hospital inside Luzira prison this evening. One of the best lawyers ever, Q was also an intellectual, a great poet, journalist, sports analyst, humanist and a very kind and generous soul. RIP,” Mwenda a long time business partner and friend to the deceased said on twitter.
The Ugandan executive director of UNAIDS Winnie Byanyima said,”Very sad to hear this news. My deepest condolences to Bob Kasango’s family. Rest in peace my friend.” Kasongo was a one time close friend to the Tooro Queen Moher Best Kemigisa but they fell-out over legal representation issues .
Jailed for 16 years
The Anti-Corruption Court in 2018 sentenced lawyer Kasango (16 years) , former Public Service officials Jimmy Lwamafa (9), Christopher Obey (14) and Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa (9) in jail for theft of sh15 billion meant for pensioners.
Lwamafa is a former Public Service Permanent Secretary, Obey a former Public Service principal account in charge of pensions Obey and Kunsa a former Public Service Commissioner for the compensation department.
Justice Margaret Tibulya of the Anti-Corruption Court found him and the three officials guilty of diversion of funds, fraud, forgery, theft, and conspiracy to defraud government funds.
She ordered that in addition to the 16 years in jail, Kasango should also compensate the government sh5 billion. Lwamafa was also ordered to compensate government 3 billion shillings. Tibulya said that court relied on the recorded evidence by John Keitirima, then a registrar at the Civil Division of the High Court and now a Judge of the High Court.
Keitirima told court how Kasango allegedly asked him to help cover the forgeries so he can get money from government. The forged court documents included a bill of taxation and certificate of order purportedly issued by Charles Abola and 6,337 ex-servicemen who had sued Government demanding their pension.
Lwamafa, Kunsa, and Obey are serving another jail sentence for diverting 88 Billion Shillings that was meant for payment of pensions. Obey is serving 10 years, Lwamafa seven and Kunsa five.
In 2016, Court ordered Kasango, to pay 3 Billion Shillings to Tooro Queen Mother Best Kemigisa. He was also further ordered to pay a fine of Shs12 million or be imprisoned for five years. The money in question belonged to Kemigisa who entrusted Kasango with the duty of receiving it from the Lands Ministry Permanent Secretary on her behalf.
In 2017,the law council struck Kasango off the list of practicing advocates in Uganda after he was found guilty of gross unethical conduct. he was found guilty of selling a prime property in Kololo to two different people at the same time.
