IGG arrests former Amuria district speaker over fraud

Amuria, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Inspectorate of Government-IG has arrested the councilor representing Persons with Disabilities-PWDs in Amuria district council.

Charles Engoru Echemu, also former district council speaker in Amuria district was arrested on Thursday for allegedly causing financial loss to the government.

Echemu is accused of refusing to refund 6.4 Million Shillings to Amuria District Local Government for salary that he received over and above his statutory entitlement.

Ali Munira, the IGG spokesperson says that Echemu has been given several reminders since 2014 to refund the money but failed to respond. She says the money was paid around the 2013/2014 financial year when Echemu was the District Council Speaker.

Sources in Amuria District Local Government who declined to be named because they are not allowed to speak on behalf of the district say that Echemu requested the money to travel to Mukono with other councilors for capacity building but did not travel.

“All the councilors he picked for the training didn’t go and never shared the money with any of them. That is why he was tasked to refund the money when the auditors raised queries on the activity”, a well-placed source in the district said.

Echemu is expected at the Anti-Corruption Court on Friday in Kampala.

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