Controversy over how BoU lawyers filed defence in Crane bank saga after deadline

By Watchdog reporter

Till now, it is not clear how Bank Of Uganda lawyers filed their response at the High Court Commercial Division after a search showed they had not complied with court directive.

However, somehow, it turns out their defence was filed, leading analysts to wonder if there was no foul play in the process.

Property mogul Sudhir Ruparelia had earlier on asked court to order BoU to pay him $8 million as he had earlier asked, before court gave Bou lawyers enough time to prepare their defence.

It had emerged that one of the Central bank’s lawyers claimed he wasn’t served papers, as one of the delay tactics, but it turned out AF Mpanga Advocates colleagues MMAKS Advocates had acknowledged being served with papers, including those of AF Mpanga.

Mpanga had claimed he wasn’t served the amended counterclaim and Sudhir’s lawyers had responded by writing back and showing that MMAKS Advocates were served two copies of a counterclaim and they acknowledged it and even promised to deliver the second copy to Mpanga Advocates.

It can be seen here that BOUs case against Sudhir is not water tight.

Sudhir’s lawyers have thus concluded by terming the MMAKS claims as spurious and superfluous.

BoUs Spokesperson Christine Alupo told the media late on Tuesday, the deadline day that the BoU lawyers to the best of her knowledge had complied with the court directive.

Kampala Associated Advocates have concluded by praying the High Court to enter a default judgement against BoU for the sum of U.S Dollars 8 Million in accordance with Civil Procedure Rules.

Sudhir’s lawyers, Kampala Associates Advocates (KAA) accuse Crane Bank and BOU of failing to file a response within the provided 15days, to his counterclaim in which he sought to be paid up to $8million (about Sh29billion) in accordance with an agreement he had signed earlier with the two.