Lwamafa, Obey and Kunsa run to Court of Appeal

Three jailed former officials of the Ministry of Public Service Jimmy Lwamafa, Christopher Obey and Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa have appealed the entire judgment and orders of the Anti-Corruption Court.

Justice Lawrence Gidudu sentenced the officials on November 11 to seven, ten and five years in jail respectively after convicting  them on charges of causing financial loss, abuse of office, false accounting, conspiracy to defraud and diversion of public funds amounting to sh88 billion.

Former Permanent Secretary Lwamafa, Principal Accountant Obey and Commissioner Compensation Department Kunsa were found to have illegally budgeted for the money as payment to NSSF yet public servants don’t contribute to the fund.

In his ruling, Justice Gidudu also ordered the convicts to jointly refund sh50 billion to the government. He said court “discovered that what they committed was a syndicate corruption,  crafted in public service, modified in ministry of finance, smoothed in Bank of Uganda and perfected in Cairo bank.

In a notice filed in the Court of Appeal, Lwamafa, Obey and Kunsa through their respective lawyers say they were dissatisfied with the decision of the lower court and have resolved to challenge it.

They stated that the reasons upon which they base their appeal will be filed as soon as they are availed a certified copy of proceedings and judgment of the Anti-corruption court. They are currently serving their sentence at Luzira prison.

The same officials still have pending charges before the Anti-corruption  Court where they are alleged to have connived with city lawyer Bob Kasango to defraud government of another sh15 billion of pensioners money.

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editor@independent.co.ug