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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The State House Anti-Corruption Monitoring Unit has picked five officers from Arua municipality and a school bursar for alleged financial impropriety.
The suspects are Khamil Erejo, the Arua Municipal Chief Finance Officer, Martin Alia, the internal Auditor, Dradria Anthony, Municipal Engineer, Mathew Afubo, Senior Assistant Engineer, James Yaka, a Store keeper and Francis Dokotho, the Bursar Arua Secondary school.
The officials are wanted for alleged misappropriation of over Shillings 1 billion. Lt. Colonel, Edith Nakalema, the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Monitoring Unit, says they officers are need to answer for public funds.
She says the officers will be required to provide documents in relation to the monies disbursed from the treasury. The team has also tasked Kassaija Kairu, the former Town Clerk Arua Municipality to appear before CIID headquarters in Kampala for questioning.
Khamil Erejo, the Arua Municipality CFO are accused of misappropriating more than Shillings 436 million meant for upgrading Mango, Afra and Staff roads.
Anthony Dradria, the newly appointed Arua Municipal Engineer told the team before he was picked up that several road projects have stalled due to lack of funds.
But Khamil Erejo, the Arua Municipal CFO explained that local revenue collection has drastically reduced due to the ongoing construction of Taxi Park and Arua main market, which prompted them to use some of money from the center to bridge the gaps in service delivery.
Francis Dokotho, the Bursar Arua Public secondary school is wanted for alleged mismanagement of more than Shillings 140 million is connivance with the Head teacher, Mark Alaba. According to information from a whistle blower, the money accrued when the school hired it bus to UNCHR to move refugees for two years.
The duo is also accused of concealing information on the actual enrollment in the school and misappropriating a loan of UGX 160 million they obtained from Stanbic Bank for completing classrooms construction at the school.
Efforts by the Bursar and head teacher to explain themselves to the team proved futile as the bursar was forced to travel with the team to Kampala with his documents. According to Nakalema, the suspect will appear before the anti-corruption is found culpable.
The impromptu arrest of the suspects has sent shivers among many government officials in Arua Municipality.
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