State Minister for Labor, Employment and Industry Hon Herbert Kabafunzaki is involved in a serious bribery scandal Chimpreports has learnt.
Pictures emerged Saturday evening of Kabafunzaki, who is also the Rukiga County MP being arrested while taking a bribe at Kampala Serena Hotel. Just before 6pm, he was whisked away handcuffed from Serena Conference Center.
Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Emilian Kayima confirmed the arrest in a short media update, saying “He (Kabafunzaki) was arrested together with Mr. Brian Mugabo, a clearing agent. He was allegedly soliciting a bribe from the Proprietor of AYA, of Aya Group”
The minister, who is among others charged with ensuring welfare to all workers in the country, is said to have solicited the bribe from Muhamad Aya, whose company was entangled in a sexual abuse scandal.
Chimpreports gathers that Aya after being approached by the minister earlier this week, directly telephoned President Yoweri Museveni on the matter, who in turn called the Inspector General of Police Gen Kale Kayihura.
A trap was then set to arrest the minister red handed. A source told us he was baited with Shs 5 million first and was collecting the rest when he was seized at Serena.
Police spokesperson AIGP Asan Kasingye tells us the arrest was carried out by operatives from Kampala Central Police Spokesperson, together with the Special Forces Command.
When we reached out to the minister on his known mobile phone, it was answered by a female who immediately dropped the call.
In June last year, President Yoweri Museveni hailed Minister Kabafunzaki, shortly after appointing him to cabinet as a hard working and development minded servant.
He also praised him for defeating FDC’s Jack Sabiiti to the Rukiga County Parliamentary seat.
Before joining cabinet and Parliament, Kabafunzaki was a district Councilor in Wakiso district.
The President told Rukiga Residents in June, “Sometime back I was in Wakiso where I met this young man Kabafunzaki who was doing a lot of development work. I asked him to come to Rukiga and rescue the Constituency that was in the hands of the opposition,” recalled Museveni.
“That’s why after defeating Sabiiti, I appointed Kabafunzaki State Minister Of Labor, Employment and Industrial Relations as a way of rewarding the people of Rukiga.”