Asiimwe ‘s Innocence Unshaken as Forensic Expert Fails to Link Him to Forgery

A dramatic twist has emerged in the ongoing court battle involving Emmanuel Asiimwe, the Managing Director of Taifa Partners Limited, who is accused of forgery in relation to a 13 billion shilling contract for the design, supply, and installation of silos for Uganda Prisons Services. Clare Hashikamana, Deputy Head of Questioned Documents at the Directorate of Forensic Services in the Uganda Police Force, testified in court on Friday, but her findings failed to pin Asiimwe to the forgery charges.

Clare Hashikamana, Deputy Head of Questioned Documents at the Directorate of Forensic Services in the Uganda Police Force, testified in court on Friday. She explained her role in examining documents to establish authorship, detect counterfeit documents, and identify alterations. Hashikamana said that the directorate receives requests from various entities, including police stations, for criminal matters, and that she had prepared a report based on her findings, which was signed and stamped by her department.

The court heard that Hashikamana was asked to examine five documents, including a special resolution dated July 15th, 2022, a powers of attorney dated July 18th, 2022, a special resolution from April 27th, 2022, and two board resolutions from May 2022. The documents bore signatures allegedly attributed to Charles Okello.

Hashikamana testified that, after analyzing the sample signatures using scientific methods such as a video spectral compactor, sketching, and visual observation, she found strong evidence suggesting that the questioned signatures were not those of Charles Okello.

Defense lawyer Stanley Okecho inquired whether Hashikamana found evidence that Asiimwe had forged the special resolution dated July 15th, 2022, or the power of attorney, to which Hashikamana responded that neither was included in her findings.

Pius Katumba Busobozi, another lawyer for Asiimwe, questioned Hashikamana about the laboratory’s ISO certification and its standards for examining questioned documents. Hashikamana clarified that while the laboratory is not ISO certified, it follows ISO/IEC 17025 standards.

Roger Mugabi, another defense lawyer, asked Hashikamana about the chain of custody of the evidence, to which she explained that Detective Wilberforce Rumanyika had submitted the request forms but did not confirm the specific details of receipt.

It was also revealed that three different reports with conflicting findings were compiled from this case, but Hashikamana could not provide information on their whereabouts.

Asiimwe’s Lawyers left to Right is Pius Busobozi Katumba, Stanley Okecho and Roger Mugabi at Buganda Road Court.

State Attorney Ivan Kyazze re-examined Hashikamana, asking about the payment for the forensic report, to which Hashikamana responded that payments were made to the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

Earlier, Charles Okello, the first prosecution witness, denied signing the documents, admitting to having a business grudge with Asiimwe. He claimed to have been paid only 50,000 shillings for his shares in Taifa Partners Limited.

The second witness, Cissy Kasana, an office administrator who had been hired and fired by Asiimwe, testified that she had a grudge with Asiimwe and was brought back to the company by Kamusiime after her dismissal. She also testified that Charles Okello was not in Kampala when the resolutions were signed, as he had traveled to Soroti.

In cross-examination, she stated that she did not know directors could approve resolutions while away from the office.

Kamusime, the third witness and complainant, noted that he and Asiimwe had disputes, including a matter before the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and the Arbitration and Commercial Court.

Kamusime had sought the arrest and detention of Asiimwe and for the court to appoint someone to manage the company’s bank accounts while Asiimwe was in jail.

When Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayiizi asked Kamusiime why he, as the complainant, had brought the case despite the forgery allegedly occurring before he joined the company, Kamusiime, appearing shy, claimed he was acting as a concerned citizen.

Kamusime is represented by lawyers from a firm, Lens Advocates, which records show is not approved by the Law Council. He is also represented by Andrew Wamina from Stratten Advocates and Arthur Tomusange from Muwema and Company Advocates.

Asiimwe’s legal team is from GEM Advocates and includes Pius Busobozi Katumba, Roger Mugabi, Stanley Okecho, Patricia Mugisha, and Elizabeth Namanya.

Evidence presented to the court further shows that Charles Okello had asked Asiimwe to pay off Assa Tumwesigye before anyone could use him to take wrongful action.

The case has been adjourned to January 10th, 2024, for the prosecution to present its fifth witness.