The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The President of Uganda Netball Federation Sarah Babirye Kityo has been remanded to Luzira Prison by the Anti Corruption Court on charges of false accounting of sh186 million.
Babirye was on Thursday arraigned before Grade One Magistrate Christopher Opito where she denied the charges.
The court heard that Babirye and others still at large between the months of November and December 2021 at the Uganda Netball Federation Office in Kampala District made false accounting of 186,374,110 with intention to defraud.
According to the prosecution, the money was released by the National Council of Sports to the Federation for the Pent Series and African National Championship in Namibia.
State Attorney Gloria Inzikuru said that inquiries are still ongoing and asked for an adjournment to allow her to finalize investigations.
Through her lawyers Joseph Luzige and Joshua Byamazima, Babirye applied for bail saying that she has a fixed place of residence within the jurisdiction of the Anti-Corruption Court.
Her lawyers told the Court that although the DPP describes Babirye in her records as the former Netball Federation President, she still holds the position. They said she would attend trial as and when needed, and would not abscond from proceedings
The court heard that the charges are subject to many investigations by the Inspector General of Government, Attorney General, Auditor General, and the Criminal Investigations Department. As such, she has not in any way run away.
Babirye presented her husband Daniel Ntare, the Director of Jodana Sports Management a licenced sports agent, Adam Kayira, the Director of Kingston High School Kawempe, and her sister Diana Tumukunde a businesswoman with a hardware shop in Shauriyako in Kampala, as her sureties.
In response, the prosecution objected to bail on grounds that the sureties presented, especially her husband had controversies with the place of residence since the records before the court show that Babirye is a resident of Maya while the husband is a resident of Lubaga; they say they have been staying together until the arrest of Babirye.
Inzikuru added that the other sureties have not ably identified the businesses they do for a court to see if they have the financial capacity to stand surety, and the charges against Babirye are serious in nature.
Inzikuru asked for more time to verify the documents presented by two sureties, Babirye’s husband whom the state wants to verify the certification of incorporation for his business, and then her sister Tumukunde whom the Prosecution wants to verify her Identity Card showing that she is an employee of State House.
Babirye was remanded until December 1st, 2023 for further bail application hearing.
In May, Babirye was remanded to Luzira Prisons on charges of obtaining money by false pretense.
It is alleged that Babirye and Zainab Nautebi and others still at large in the month of May 2022 in Kampala district obtained 8 million shillings from Sarah Wamala by falsely pretending that she was going to take her son to the United States.
It is also alleged that during the same time and place, the accused obtained another 8 million shillings from Gloria Kikomeko Nantambi whom they also defrauded that they would take her to the United States. But the duo has denied the charges against them.
Babirye who is the former Youth Member of Parliament representing the Central Region was sent on forced leave from her office as the Uganda Netball Federation President to allow a special committee instituted by the Minister of Sports and Education Janet Kataaha Museveni to investigate allegations of abuse of office and financial mismanagement.
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