Mbale CAO, Buvuma finance chief charged with corruption

The Chief Administrative Officer of Mbale District Local Government together with the former Chief Finance Officer of Buvuma District Local Government were on Thursday arraigned before the Anti-Corruption court in Kololo. They face seven counts including causing financial loss, abuse of office, embezzlement and false accounting.

Paul Walakira and Abdul Ssimwogerere appeared before Chief Magistrate Agnes Alum and denied the charges.

They were granted bail with orders that Walakira pays sh3 million and  Ssimwogerere sh4 million and deposit their passports with court. The officials return to court on  Jan 10, 2017 for mention of their case.

Prosecution alleges that between February 2011 and April 2013 in performance of their duties, they abused their authority, and irregularly approved payment of sh50.5 million for various transactions, which caused a loss of sh18.6 million to the prejudice of Buvuma District Local Government.

The illegal transactions include procurement of a motorcycle for water department of Buvuma District Local Government, school desks and other funds got from the account of Buvuma’s education and sports department at  Crane Bank-Mukono Branch.

Ssimwogerere is further separately charged with embezzlement of sh17million meant for financing various transactions, and false accounting of sh 30.5million which he allegedly received for procurement of a motorcycle and desks for  Buvuma District Local Government.

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editor@independent.co.ug