Ref. 26247-47A WANBOROUGH man whose family was one of thousands expelled from Uganda by Idi Amin believes it is a tragedy that the tyrant was never brought to justice.

Harish Lakhani is one of many Ugandans who have settled in the Swindon area.

Harish, 45, was just 14 when his family left Uganda in 1972.

Amin, who died at the weekend in Saudi Arabia, where he lived in exile, gave Asians 90 days to leave the country, saying they were controlling the economy.

Many Asians had moved to Uganda to look for work when it was a British colony.

Harish's father had built up a successful textile business, but the family of seven were forced to leave everything behind and flee.

They left with just four suitcases of belongings to start a new life in Britain.

Amin went on to kill around 400,000 people during his murderous dictatorship.

Harish said: "He should have been to brought justice, he killed so many of his own people.

"Before he came to power Uganda was a prosperous country, and was known as the Pearl of Africa.

"It was a beautiful place, and I loved living there."

Harish, who manages a firm that manufactures printing machinery in Victoria Road, Old Town, remembers leaving his home.

He said: "We were only allowed to take £54 each out of the country, and had to leave all our other assets behind.

"I can remember driving through army checkpoints on the way to the airport.

"It was scary. The soldiers were brutal and thousands of people had been killed."

His family settled in Leicester, and then he moved to Swindon in 1982.

Harish, who is married to Illa, 45, and has a daughter, Radhika, 10, said: "Some good did come out of what happened.

"We were so lucky to come to Britain, and we were made very welcome

"I am very proud to live in Swindon, there are many Ugandan families here.

"We have been accepted by the community, and have made a contribution to the town, setting up many successful businesses.

"Many Ugandan Asians were skilled business people, and have prospered in this country."

During the Ugandan crisis, around 35 Asian families were given temporary accommodation in a camp near Wootton Bassett until the local authority could find permanent homes for them.

The local community rallied round to support the refugees, with many providing furniture and clothing.