Three local gov’t officials face trial for embezzling UGX 222 Million

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Three senior officials from the Local Government Ministry are facing the Anti-corruption court over corruption-related offences. They are Issa Gumonye, the Assistant Commissioner for Urban Administration, Prossy Nampijja, a Senior Urban Officer and Ronald Mbala, an Urban Officer.

The three officers are accused of abuse of office, causing financial loss, conspiracy to defraud and embezzling more than 222 million Shillings. They are jointly accused with Martin Hashaka Ahishakiye, the Manager of Hayat Guest House in Industrial division in Mbale Municipality. Hashaka is separately charged for conspiracy to defraud.

According to the charge sheet prepared by Brenda Kimbugwe, the Head of Prosecution in the Inspectorate of Government, in the 2014/2015 financial year, Gumonye stole 222 million Shillings during his time of service as an Assistant Commissioner in the Local Government Ministry.

It is alleged that Gumonye received 394, 922,200 from the government to travel to various districts in the country for routine field inspections and monitoring of government functions but did not visit some of the districts, and as a result, a sum of 222 million Shillings remained unaccounted for.

The charge sheet also shows that between July 2014 and June 2015, Gumonye, Nampijja, and Mbala conspired to defraud the government when they claimed to have facilitated a training workshop at Hayat Guesthouse in Mbale whereas not.

Hashaka is particularly accused of conspiring with Gumonye to defraud the government of Uganda when he claimed to have provided services for training at Hayat Guesthouse in Mbale.

The Inspector General of Government Justice Irene Mulyagonja has consented to the charges.

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