Ntungamo dairy union officials indicted over theft of milk worth Shs400m
NDAFCU quality controller Myers Muhimbura apears before Ntungamo Chief Magistrate's court on May 30, 2024. PHOTO/PEREZ RUMANZI
What you need to know:
- One of the accused faces up to 66 counts while arrest warrants have been issued for four other members of the union.
A magistrate’s court in Ntungamo District has remanded the milk quality controller of the Ntungamo Dairy Farmers’ Cooperative Union (NDAFCU) and indicted four others over theft of farmers’ milk worth Shs400million.
The five had been arrested by officials of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit following an audit by the union board and ministry of animal industry but released on bond.
NDAFCU quality controller Myers Muhimbura was produced in the Ntungamo Chief magistrate’s Court presided by Chief Magistrate Gordon Muhimbise and charged on Thursday.
“You have 66 counts against you. You will prepare to listen.” Muhimbise said in an afternoon session of the court where only one case was heard.
Muhimbura pleaded not guilty to all the 66 counts before he was remanded until June 13, 2024.
Court on Thursday also issued arrest warrants for NDAFCU accountant Laban Mugizi Rukangayo, NDAFCU manager Dan Abesigye Kakiza and other workers at the union, Caleb Turyahikayo and Jennifer Kyampeire. The four are all charged with neglect of duty that allowed Muhimbura to steal milk from farmers.
According to state house investigators, Muhimbura was responsible for collecting milk from farmers and selling the milk in both wholesale and small quantities and recording what he had made in income which brought a loophole in accountability.
State House Anti-Corruption Unit communications officer Miriam Natasha said Muhimbura was implicated after an audit showed he was directly responsible for falsifying farmers’ milk stock which he instead used for himself- and the money put to his account for about 3 years.
“He could make deliberate wrong additions in the analysis book, omit writing some liters as if there was nothing received, and could take cash on every sale of milk,” Natasha wrote in a statement.
Ntungamo resident state attorney Martin Dungu noted that the other four accused had been granted bond but have since went into hiding.
Muhimbura will appear in court again on June 13 for bail application.
NDAFCU unites over 10, 000 dairy farmers in Ntungamo District. However, it is on the brink of failure with most farmers withdrawing supply over not being paid their due money.
A worker at the union said they had started working at less than 20% capacity due to farmers mistrust over mismanagement of funds.
“We cannot let our cooperative that we started out of suffering and with a common cause to improving milk marketing fall over people who cheat us. We must recover our money,” Kojo Beitwa, who heads the union in Ruhaama East told Daily Monitor.
