Prime
Court gives Ntambi last chance, warns of arrest
The chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission, Ms Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi, at Parliament on September 29. The Anti-Corruption Court yesterday issued the last criminal summons to Ms Ntambi to answer corruption charges. Photo | Alex Esagala
What you need to know:
- He presented medical documents in court showing that Ms Ntambi was admitted to Medik Hospital in Kawempe, Kampala while other documents showed she was under the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the same hospital and was admitted or attended to on October 6.
The Anti-Corruption Court yesterday issued the last criminal summons to the chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC), Ms Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi, to answer corruption charges.
This is the third time in succession that Ms Ntambi has not appeared in court following the previous criminal summons.
Chief Magistrate Pamella Lamunu Ocaya extended the criminal summons to October 29, warning that “this is the very last time.”
Prior to the court’s ruling, Ms Ntambi’s lawyer MacDusman Kabega had told court that his client was sick and due for an operation which required her pressure to be monitored by the hospital.
He presented medical documents in court showing that Ms Ntambi was admitted to Medik Hospital in Kawempe, Kampala while other documents showed she was under the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of the same hospital and was admitted or attended to on October 6.
“My client is not before you today because she is admitted to a hospital since October 1. We are hoping that when the matter comes up next time, she will be able to come and take plea. The doctor can’t say how long she will be in that situation but at least by the end of the month.
Therefore, I pray for criminal summons to be extended,” Mr Kabega pleaded with court.
But Chief Magistrate Ocaya ruled: “I will give her (Ntambi) the benefit of the doubt and give her the last chance. Should she fail to come next time, a warrant of arrest will be issued.”
The State attorney, Mr James Khaukha, had asked court to issue a warrant of arrest against Ms Ntambi, reasoning that the medical forms presented had not been verified.
Mr Khaukha said Ms Ntambi’s continuous absence from court was frustrating the prosecution process of her other nine co-accused.
Ms Ntambi and the co-accused are supposed to be committed to the High Court for trial but her absence has delayed the committal process.
“Counsel for accused 10 has just shared the medical documents. A quick scan through the medical forms shows that she is supposed to undergo an operation but the letter from the same medical centre shows she has been admitted for severe hypertension,” prosecutor Khaukha observed.
Ms Ntambi is jointly accused with nine other former employees of the Commission who were interdicted after they were charged last year. They were released on bail pending the trial.
The nine suspects are Ms Ntambi’s former senior personal secretary Ms Agnes Enid Kamahoro, Moses Mugabe (senior monitoring evaluation officer), Harriet Byangire (senior accountant), Ronnie Kwesiga (acting accounts assistant), Evans Jjemba (principal compliance officer), Manasseh Kwihangana (senior compliance officer), Sarah Nassanga (office attendant) and Sunday Nicholas Olwor.
It is alleged that between November 2018 and April 2019 at EOC offices in Kampala District, Mugabe, Mujuni, Jjemba and Ntambi being employed in the commission in their respective positions conspired to defraud the government of Shs35m and more than Shs9m between January and April 2019.
Issue
Prosecution alleges that between November 2018 and April 2019, Mugabe stole Shs29m and Shs14.5m which belonged to EOC.
The state also accuses Mugabe and Jjemba of stealing Shs5.7m, the property of EOC.
According to prosecution, in November 2018 at EOC offices, Mujuni being the secretary to the commission approved payment of Shs35m purportedly for undertaking an audit exercise of Rural Electrification Programme in Uganda which act caused financial loss to government.
Prosecution further alleges that in December 2018, Kamahoro, Mujuni and Olwor, abused their respective offices when they fraudulently processed, requisitioned, approved Shs19m and forwarded it for payment purportedly for development.
According to the prosecution, between January 24 and April 2019, Ms Kamahoro and Ms Nassanga stole more than Shs13m and Ms Nassanga alone stole another Shs13m from EOC.
