BE THERE! MP Adriko fails to get temporary freedom

By Our Reporter 

ARUA. Yovan Adriko, the Vurra County Member of Parliament (MP) in Arua district is to stay in jail a little bit longer following court’s decision to turn down his production application.

Adriko was on Thursday last week arrested and committed to six months civil imprisonment to Arua government prison after failing to clear shs55,677,400 which is the principal and interest of the money he borrowed from Jubilee Finance Limited in 2021.

But before serving a week in prison, Jimmy Madira of Madira and Co. Advocates, the Lawyer representing the MP filed an application in court seeking for Adriko’s production.

While appearing before Her Worship Loe Karungi, the Deputy Registrar of Arua High Court in her chambers on Wednesday, Madira presented a receipt indicating that shs22,000,000 had already been deposited in cash to the judgement creditor (Jubilee Finance Limited).

He also presented details of an Isuzu Tipper Lorry with Registration Number UBJ 955Y which he said is valued at shs45m to be sold by the judgement creditor to recover the remaining balance of shs33,677,400.

While representing Jubilee Finance Limited Lawyer, Richard Bundu of Bundu and Co. Advocates, Lillian Angundaru agreed that the judgement debtor made a partial payment of shs22,000,000 to Jubilee Finance Limited.

However, in respect to the truck with registration number UBJ 955Y, Angundaru argued that the vehicle was towed to Gil Petrol Station and parked there and has never been handed over to the judgement creditor.

“We came to learn that there is a warrant of attachment which was issued in respect to the same vehicle by Quick Debt Solution Auctioneers. Therefore, Your Worship, we are afraid that this vehicle may not be a substantial security which the judgement creditor can rely on for payment of the balance,” Angundaru said.

She prayed that the judgement debtor (Adriko’s team) deposits another security apart from the said vehicle or pays three-quarter of the total amount before his release.

In her ruling on Thursday, Her Worship Karungi advised the two parties to sit down and come up with a substantive plan to pay off the balance of shs33,677,400.

She further advised the parties to have the proposal reduced into writing and a consent to be signed by both the judgement debtor and the judgment creditor with substantial guarantors as witnesses before court can proceed to have the judgement debtor (MP Adriko) released.