SG Atoke on Spot for Failure to Defend Gov’t in case against SGS

The Solicitor General Francis Atoke has denied claims that the government lost interest in overturning a court ruling relating to SGS vehicle inspection deal.

Atoke appeared before the parliamentary committee on physical infrastructure on Wednesday that is currently investigating circumstances under which the Ministry of Works awarded a private firm SGS a 5 year contract for mandatory vehicle inspection exercise.

Atoke was responding to Moroto County MP Samuel Okwir’s claim that the attorney General withdrew the appeal application despite having issues with the procurement process.

He said, “We were acting under instructions having received a letter from the Ministry of Works to withdraw from the appeal. PPDA (a co-respondent) had also withdrawn from the case.

The explaination was not convincing to the committee chairperson, Eng. Lillian Nakate who tasked Atoke to appear back to the committee next week with all documents backing his explanation.

The shadow minister for Lands and Urban Development, Abacanon Gutomoi observed that the Attorney General William Byaruhanga should appear in person before the committee instead of the solicitor general on the SGS contract.

SGS earns 1.23billion shillings monthly from vehicle inspections, according to statistics submitted to Parliament