Arua MP Jailed for 6 Months Over UGX55.6m Loan

Arua, Uganda | THE BLACK EXAMINER | Adriko Yovan, the Member of Parliament for Vurra County in Arua District, has been sentenced to six months in civil prison due to his failure to repay a loan of shs55.6 million that he obtained in 2021.

On Friday, Adriko appeared before Deputy Registrar Leo Karungi at Arua High Court, where he was committed to Arua government prison for half a year.

The arrest of the MP was prompted by an arrest warrant issued against him for failing to appear in court to explain his inability to settle the outstanding debt borrowed from Jubilee Finance Limited.

According to Richard Bundu of Bundu and Co. Advocates, who represents Jubilee Finance Limited, Adriko borrowed shs52.7 million at a 15% interest rate with the agreement to repay it within one month. However, he did not meet this obligation.

After a year of noncompliance, Jubilee Finance Limited attempted to recover the debt from Adriko, who had become evasive. Despite various attempts to contact him, he remained uncooperative. Consequently, a case was filed against him, and the court issued summons, serving him both in person and via email. Nevertheless, Adriko continued to disregard the matter, leading to a default judgment against him on August 18, 2022.

Subsequently, after learning of the judgment, Adriko made two payments totaling shs20 million, reducing his debt to shs48,143,900. However, on October 12, 2023, he was apprehended when he was lured by court bailiff Paul Mawa of T/A Vitality Associates under the pretense of a land transaction at Slumberland Hotel.

As per court documents, Adriko is required to repay the principal amount of shs48,143,900 and cover legal costs amounting to shs7.5 million, totaling shs55.6 million.

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