Teddy Ssezi Cheeye’s dead

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Exactly a year after his release from Luzira, the former director of Economic Monitoring at the Internal Security Organisation (ISO) Teddy Ssezi Cheeye is dead. According to the police, he was knocked dead March 1 by a speeding boda boda (motor cycle) as he crossed the road at Nakawa, just outside Kampala.

Jinja Road Police’s ASP Bruce Oyinebye confirmed to the press the incident, saying that Cheeye,60 was knocked as he crossed from Shell Nakawa along Nakawa traffic lights as the rains hit Kampala on Thursday.

Released last March after serving 10 years for corruption, Cheeye who was founder and publisher of the anti-corruption magazine Uganda Confidential, was slowly getting back into journalism, publishing and appearing as an analyst on television.

After the creation of the Anti-Corruption court in July 2008, several government officials and holders of public officers were committed to the court in 2009, including Cheeye.

Cheeye was convicted on 26 counts, including eight of forgery, nine of making a false entry, eight of uttering a false document, and one of embezzlement and sentenced to 10 years.

As the director of the ironically named Uganda Centre for Accountability (UCA), Cheeye is said to have stolen Shs120 million worth of Global Fund money in 2005. Its was discovered that Cheeye’s company, UCA, made a contract with the Ministry of Health on February 10, 2005 when the company was actually not in existence.

Among the first people to mourn him was Uganda Prisons boss Johnson Byabashaija, who tweeted that “Was our client for 10 years. Now a Boda boda ends his life. MHS RIP.”

He confirmed Cheeye’s prison term as well.” Ten year sentence! Earned remission for good behavior. Ten years it is.”