Gov’t officials charged for false accounting, financial loss

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has charged six officials from different districts for conspiring to cause government a financial loss of more than 343 million shillings.

The officials are: Robert Mulondo, the Chief Administrative Officer Mubende district, Fred Mukasa Kizito, the Chief Administrative Officer Namutumba district, Emmanuel Ogwayu, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer for Nebbi district, Godfrey Mutome, the Chief Finance officer Kaliro district, Elizabeth Namugolo, an accountant and John Wabwire, an accountant with Ministry of Finance and Economic Development.

The group was on Friday arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro, and charged with two counts of causing government financial loss.

The court heard that Mulondo, Ogwayu, Mutome and Namugolo between January 1, 2020 and August 31, 2021, in Kaliro district using their respective offices irregularly processed, verified and approved fictious gratuity payments amounting to 298.3 million shillings to three individuals well knowing that their actions would cause government financial loss. The said individuals who benefited from the loss are Ricky Mukaabya, Henry Enoth Kiirya, and Naphtali Mpiira.

It is also alleged that the same officials between November 1, 2020 and November 30, 2020 again irregularly processed and approved a fictitious gratuity of 45 million shillings to Henry Enoth Kiirya, which also caused loss to the government. The accused persons denied the charges.

Prosecution led by State Attorney Silas Ssenoga, informed court that investigations intp the matter were complete and that they would be sharing with the defense the evidence they intend to rely on to try the accused persons.

But the accused through their lawyers led by Kabuye Twaha and Kenneth Ssebabi, applied for bail saying their clients have substantial sureties who will make sure that the accused persons come to court as and when required. The sureties who included their friends in different government departments and workmates were later presented to court.

In response, the prosecution told court the figures and amounts against which the accused persons are charged with is a high, and that may scare or tempt the accused to abscond.

Ssenoga added that if court is pleased to grant bail, the accused persons and sureties should be bonded on such terms that attract them not to abscond so pray.

In her ruling, the Chief Magistrate Aciro granted bail to all the accused persons with orders that Ogwayu, Mutome and Namugolo would make a cash deposit of 10 millions shillings each and each of their sureties bonded at 150 million not cash.

She then ordered Wabwire and Kizito who are facing a lesser offense to make a cash deposit of six million shillings each and their sureties 100million each not cash.

She adjourned the case to November 22, 2022 for hearing to commence.

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