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Ex- Mulago hospital boss Baterana, nine others remanded over graft
Former Executive Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital Dr Byarugaba Baterana Bonaventura together with his co-accused at the Anti-Corruption Court on June 19, 2024. Photo/Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- Dr Baterana and others were charged with the offences of abuse of office and causing financial loss regarding contested payments of hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money. They denied the charges against them.
Former Executive Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital, Dr Byarugaba Baterana Bonaventura has been arraigned before Anti-Corruption Court and remanded over corruption related charges in regard to alleged irregular payment of billions of Shillings.
He is accused jointly with former hospital employees and directors of a private company, Setramaco International Limited and Convention World Limited.
Those in court on June 19 were Eng. Edward Kataha, a former Senior hospital engineer and head of Engineering Department at Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kenneth Wafula (former Senior hospital administrator), Christopher Okware (former senior procurement officer/ head of procurement and Disposal Unit) and Adah Kamucunguzi (former procurement officer).
Others who appeared in court are shareholders as well as Directors of Setramaco Limited and Convention World Limited Mr Robert Wasike and Catherine Winfred Nabwire.
The court has issued criminal summons against Ponziano Nyeko (former Assistant Commissioner Accounts/ head of accounts section), Charles Mwasa (former senior Accountant) and Perezi Batanda, an assistant Engineer Bugema Village along Mbale – Tororo Road.
Dr Baterana and others were charged with the offences of abuse of office and causing financial loss regarding contested payments of hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money. They denied the charges against them.
The State Attorney, Mr Raymond Mugisa asked the court for an adjournment saying that they are left with a few inquiries into the matter.
Presiding magistrate, Mr Abert Asiimwe remanded the suspects citing that it was late for court to hear and determine their bail application although the charges against them are bailable.
“I have jurisdiction to take this bail. Each accused has to present two sureties making it 14, prosecution has to respond in rejoinder if any. I cannot entertain a bail application now. Preparing the documentation of each accused as a pass to prison will take hours. Humanly speaking, it's not practical. We know the value you have in you; you have caused transformation to this country. Am giving you a short adjournment to even prepare yourselves,” Mr Asiimwe said.
The trial magistrate also ordered prison authorities to give all the necessary treatment to Dr Baterana who was reported to be sick and other suspects before adjourning the matter to June 24 for hearing of the bail application.
Prosecution case
The state contends that during the years 2019 and 2020 at Mulago hospital in Kampala, Dr Baterana, Nyeko and Mwasa being employed by the government and deployed at Mulago hospital and being authorised users of the Integrated Financial Management System, in abuse of authority of their offices, flouted payment procedures when they irregularly processed payment of more than Shs3 billion to Setramaco International Limited purporting to be payment for supply of consumables to be used in routine servicing and repair of large size sterilization equipment of an alleged capacity if 1500 litres, which never existed at the said hospital, an act that is prejudicial to the interest of their employer.
Prosecution alleges that Kataha and Okware abused their authority by irregularly requisitioning for a total of Shs3 billion to be paid to Setramaco International Limited for purported supply of consumables without following the established public procurement procedures.
It is alleged that during the financial year 2015/2016 and 2016/17 at the offices of Setramaco International in Kampala, Wasike and Nabwire being shareholders and directors of the company, used their said company to invoice Mulago National Referral Hospital of Shs3 billion as payment for purported supply of consumables for non-existent autoclaves with capacity of 1500 litres, having reason to believe that such invoicing for fictitious supplies would cause financial loss to the said hospital.
The state alleges that during the financial year 2019 and 2020 at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Dr Baterana, Nyeko and Mwasa irregularly processed payment of Shs1.581 billion to Setramaco International Limited for routine servicing of autoclave without following the proper procedures for processing public payments.
The said money, Shs1.581 billion, was allegedly received by Setramaco International Limited directors, Nabwire and Wasike upon presenting fictitious invoices and that the same money was irregularly certified based on non-executed works.
The state further alleges that in the financial year 2016/17, at Mulago hospital in Kampala, Kamucunguzi being employed as procurement officer, abused her office and flouted the procurement procedures resulting into the irregular award of the said contract to Setramaco International Limited at a contract of Shs7.543 billion, an act that was prejudicial to the interests of her employer and also in the same year, Wafula and Okware awarded the same company a contract worth Shs 196, 521,630 for Relocation and re-installation of the Multi-ironer from lower Mulago to upper Mulago without following the the duce process of the law.
It is alleged that in the financial years 2016/17 to 2019/2020 at Mulago hospital in Kampala, Dr Baterana, Eng Kataha, Nyeko, Wafula, Okware, Kamucunguzi and Matanda being employed by the government irregularly caused multiple payments to Setramaco International Limited and Convention World Limited all worth Shs774,277,860 for alleged relocation and re-installation of the Multi-Ironer from Lower Mulago to Upper Mulago which was previously awarded to Setramaco International Limited and paid by Mulago hospital having reason to believe that such duplicate payments for works that were already paid for, would cause financial loss to Mulago hospital. It is stated that the said money was received by Wasike and Nabwire as directors and shareholders of the said company.
According to the charge sheet, in 2017/18, Okware and Kamucunguzi irregularly awarded a contract for procurement of Molten Blankets, Guiding Tapes and Conveyor Belt for the Laundry Unit worth Shs179.5 million to Convention World Limited and that Dr Baterana, Eng Kataha, Nyeko, Wafula and Kamucunguzi awarded the same contract was in 2019 awarded to Setramaco International Limited at a cost of Shs186.9 million and the same money was received by Wasike and Nabwire.
It is alleged that in 206/17, Dr Baterana, Wafula, Okware and Kamucunguzi awarded a Shs196.6 million to Setramaco International Limited for relocation of steam cooking pans from lower Mulago to upper Mulago and that the Mulago hospital staff awarded the same contract at the same cost in January 2019 and that the payment was made to the same company.
The state alleges that in January and December 2019, Dr Baterana, Eng Kataha, Nyeko, Wafula and Kamucunguzi while deployed at Mulago hospital caused a double payments of Shs198.8 million to Convention World Limited for alleged relocation of Steam cooking pans to upper Mulago, a contract previously awarded to the same company for no work done and paid to both Setramaco International Limited and convention World Limited through the directors, Wasike Nabwire.
