The high court in Gulu has dismissed an application in which Noah Opwonya, the embattled former Chairperson for Acholi War Debt Claimants’ Association was seeking to be reinstated into office.
Through his lawyers Oryamoi & Oryamoi & Co. Advocates, Opwonya asked court to reinstate him.
In an application filed at Gulu High Court, Opwonya asked the judge to restrain executives of the Acholi War claimants’ from interfering in his work.
Opwonya also argued that his suspension has caused a lot of inconveniences in the smooth running of the association.
He further argued that he has suffered damage after being suspended from office. He accordingly asked court to award him 50 million shillings in damages.
But the Gulu High court judge, Lady Justice Mutonyi dismissed Opwonya’s application saying the association is not his personal business.
Justice Mutonyi ruled that court finds it necessary to maintain the status quo in the association until the main application suit is heard.
Justice Mutonyi said she found no ground to award damages to Opwonya since his absence from Acholi War claimants did not affected the association in anyway.
Mutonyi ruled that the association serves the interest of its members but not individuals.
The High Court dismissed the application and ordered each party to bear the cost of filling the suit.
Opwonya was suspended from office in April last year by members of his executive on allegations of fraud, abuse of office, financial mismanagement, incompetence and breach of compensation process. He was consequently replaced by John Kizza Nyeko.
Pius Opio, the Spokesperson of the association said the decision to force Opwonya out office was reached during a regional meeting held in Kitgum in March last year.
Opio explained that Opwonya was suspended after an audit report indicated that 105 million shillings meant for compensation had gone missing.
He stressed in order for the Chairman not to interfere with investigation on the missing money he (Opwonya) had to step aside.
Opwonya later run to court claiming that the decision was illegal since it contravened the constitution of the association.
Recently, government accused the leadership of Acholi War debt Claimants’ Association of mismanaging up to 7.1 billion shillings.
The fund was advanced to them between 2006 and 2011 as compensation for property lost during civil wars in the region.
The acting commissioner in the Attorney General (AG), office Henry Oluka, says that some individuals received payment yet they did not belong to the association.
