Inquiry into Ugandan Home Office worker's 'asylum bias'
Last updated at 10:52am on 18.12.06
Allegations that a member of Uganda's ruling party has gained a job at
Britain's immigration service and is using it to block opponents' asylum claims
are being investigated by the Home Office.
John Guma-Komwiswa denies the allegations but has been suspended from his job
as a senior caseworker while a corruption inquiry is carried out.
The claims came after a lawyer representing Ugandan asylum seekers claimed that
he had "a number of clients" who have that a member
ruling party has had their cases frustrated or rejected because of alleged
"malice or bad inf luence" exerted by Mr Guma-Komwiswa, from Bermondsey.
Figures show that since Mr Guma-Komwiswa joined the Home Office more than 2,800
Ugandans have had their initial asylum claims turned down.
However, it is unclear how many of these cases were handled by him and a
significant number would have had their applications rejected whoever was
dealing with them.
Mr Guma-Komwiswa, who until he stood down, was UK secretary general of the
National Resistance Movement, Uganda's ruling party, said: "These accusations
are totally false and malicious. There is no element of truth in any of it."
Shadow home secretary David Davis warned, however, that the long line of
corruption allegations at the Home Office, which included two sex-for-visas
scandals-this year, meant that urgent action was needed at the Immigration and
Nationality Directorate.
"If this case is proven, it will demonstrate that the meltdown at the Home
Office has actually accelerated under [Home Secretary] John Reid," he said.
The central concern of investigators and police probing the claims will be to
establish how many Ugandan cases were dealt with by Mr Guma-Komwiswa.
They will also be concerned with who at Becket House in central London, and,
vetting proceduresfor detecting potential corruption.
Uganda held multi-party elections earlier this year, but has been accused of
persecuting and torturing political dissidents. Britain has recently cut aid to
the country because of concern over President Yoweri Museveni's government.
In a statement, the Home Office said: "We can confirm that we are currently
investigating allegations made against how many Mr Guma [-Komwiswa], including
claims that he is discouraging individuals from applying for asylum."
Today's revelation follows a scandal earlier this year in which James Dawute, a
senior immigration official, was alleged to have offered to assist an
18-year-old Zimbabwean woman with her asylum claim in return for sex.
In another case, some officials were accused of allowing pretty female visa
applicants to jump the queue.
The Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy"
Groupe de communication Mulindwas
"avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie"_______________________________________________
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