Pension scam assessors ask court to acquit Lwamafa, Obey

The assessors in the corruption case against three jailed former officials of Ministry of Public Service accused of irregularly budgeting sh88 billion for NSSF and paying it to ghost pension pensioners, have advised the Anti-Corruption Court to find them innocent and acquit them of all charges.

The accused, then Permanent Secretary Jimmy Lwamafa, Christopher Obey then Principal Accountant and Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa Commissioner Compensation Department,  are facing 10 counts that include causing financial loss, abuse of office, false accounting, conspiracy to defraud and diversion of public funds.

They have been on trial since November last year before Justice Lawrence Gidudu over requisitioning for the said money well knowing public servants do not contribute to the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) pension scheme.

In the opinion of the two assessors, Vincent Okech and Stanley Kurong, no evidence has been adduced by prosecution to show that the said  item NSSF was ever discussed in any meeting  included in the accused’s work plan and budgetary estimates for financial years 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 as  alleged.

They explained that the accused only  requisitioned for funds for gratuity and pension of teachers, soldiers and beneficiaries of the East African Community, but not NSSF.

They add that the evidence on record, regarding  the entry of data in the Output Budget Tool (OBT) at the Ministry of finance, shows that only the then Assistant Commissioner Policy and Planning  Joses Tegyeza had access to the payment system since he was the officer nominated from Public Service to go and enter data.