The former bursar of Soroti University, Edward Obeele has dragged the institution to court for alleged breach of contract and unlawful dismissal.
The university terminated Obeele's contract on January 17, 2019 on grounds that he lacks the substantial academic qualifications for the job. According to the termination letter, Obeele lacked a Master's degree and experience at time of his appointment yet they were part of the requirements.
Now, Obeele has filed civil suit against the university through his lawyers M/s Ogire & co. Advocates and M/s Opio & co. Advocates demanding that management pays him his salary for the remaining 27 months of his five-year contract that he obtained on August 17, 2017.
He also wants the university to pay him Shs 48.6 million in allowance by virtue of his position as university bursar and another Shs 150 million in general damages, less punitive damages and interests. In his application, Obeele states that he applied for the job and emerged the best in the interviews.
"On 21.6.2016, the defendant placed an advert calling for qualified Ugandan to fill the various advertised positions, so I placed my application and got shortlisted to which upon interview I emerged the best," Obeele said through his lawyers.
On August 14, 2017, the appointment's board recommended the appointment of Obeele's as the university bursar on contract for 5 years. He says that the university secretary unlawfully terminated his contract via email on January 17, 2019 while he was away and directed him on phone to handover office to his deputy on January 18, 2019.
The university secretary, Ruth Achimo confirmed that they have been served with a copy of the suit, saying university lawyers are handling it.
"I assume, the government lawyers are set for the suit," Achimo said.
Adding that, "the civil suit seems to have already been misplaced saying the wrong entity has been sued."
In January last year, Achimo herself challenged her interdiction and was awarded over Shs 110 million in damages. Soroti University was completed in 2018 in fulfilment of a presidential pledge but is yet to get accreditation from the National Council for Higher Education (NHCE) so as to open its doors for its pioneer students. NCHE halted the opening of the university due to shortage of human resource, teaching materials and gap in infrastructure.
TROUBLED UNOPENED UNIVERSITY
An internal audit carried out last year reported that over Shs 1 billion was grossly mismanaged by the university in form of double payments, irregular hiring of lawyers and contractors and payment of court awards to the university secretary.
The audit report dated August 2, 2018 raised queries as to why over Shs 513 million was paid to M/S Okurut & Company Advocates between the months of April and June 2018. The audit revealed that M/S Okurut & Company Advocates was contracted on retainer fee of Shs 15 million per month.
The audit also revealed irregular payments of Shs 61 million and Shs 277 million paid to the same law firm on June 22, 2018 and another Shs 58 million on the July 5, 2018. All payments were not supported by any documents.
The internal auditor also questioned how the accounting officer, went ahead to pay herself Shs 172 million through M/S Alliance Advocates as per the court order issued by Soroti High court in favour of Ruth Achimo over compensation damages in which she challenged her interdiction by the university council over alleged abuse of office.
When contacted, Daniel Okalebo, an associate at Okurut & Company Advocates said the issue of a retainer which the internal auditor raised in the report, does not involve the litigation costs save for legal advice towards the university.
"We have had a number of cases in which we have represented the university in which land is involved, and looking at the sum for the university it's more than Shs 30 billion," Okalebo explained back then.