Ex-Mulago Hospital engineer charged with corruption
Former Mulago National Referral Hospital engineer Perez Batanda at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on September 16, 2024. PHOTO/JULIET KIGONGO
What you need to know:
- He joins a list of many others accused of stealing billions of shillings from Uganda's national referral hospital.
Perez Batanda, a 68-year-old former engineer at Mulago National Referral Hospital, has been charged with corruption related charges over alleged irregular payment of billions of Shillings.
On Monday, Batanda appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court presided by Grade One Magistrate Christopher Opit, following court criminal summons.
However, he denied the charges and was granted bail of Shs6 million.
Batanda faces the charges together with the former hospital executive director Dr Byarugaba Baterana Bonaventura, the facility’s former engineering department head Edward, ex-hospital administrator Kenneth Wafula and the former head of procurement Christopher Okware alongside Adah Kamucunguzi (former procurement officer), who are on bail.
Others are the shareholders as well as Directors of Setramaco Limited and Convention World Limited named as Robert Wasike and Catherine Winfred Nabwire.
They face charges of abuse of office and causing financial loss in line with contested payments of hundreds of millions of taxpayers’ money, which they all deny.
Prosecution alleges that Kataha and Okware abused their authority by irregularly requisitioning for Shs3billion 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 used their said company to invoice Mulago Hospital 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 FY 2019 and 2020, still 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 former Executive Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital, Dr Byarugaba Baterana (left) together with his co-accused in the dock at the Anti-Corruption Court on June 27, 2024. Photo/Juliet Kigongo.
The said money was allegedly received by Setramaco International Limited directors upon presenting fictitious invoices- and that the same money was irregularly certified based on non-executed works.
The state further alleges that in the FY2016/17, at Mulago Hospital, Kamucunguzi being employed as a 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 Shs196, 521,630 for relocation and re-installation of the multi-ironer from lower Mulago to upper Mulago without following the due process of the law.
It is further alleged that in FY2016/17 to FY2019/2020 at Mulago Hospital, 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. It had been 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 in 2019 to Setramaco International Limited at a cost of Shs186.9 million. 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 with 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.
