State lines up 92 witnesses in Bugiri Shs1.2b fraud case
Some of the Bugiri District officials at the Anti Corruption Court on March 12, 2024. They are accused of causing a financial loss amounting to Shs1.2 billion. Photos | Rashul Adidi
What you need to know:
- Prosecutors from the Inspectorate of Government led by Ms Sylvia Nabirye and Mr Earnest Katwesigye told the court that inquiries in the matter are complete thus seeking a hearing date
The state has lined up at least 92 witnesses to testify against 10 Bugiri District officials accused of causing a financial loss of over Shs1.2 billion.
The accused include; Mr Ezaruku Kazimiro, 59, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Mr Mustapher Nyende, 59, Chief Finance Officer, Mr Abdallah Waiswa, 52, senior accountant, Ms Minsa Atoire, 51, senior accounts assistant, Mr Fred Bazibu, 31, assistant accountant, Mr Henry Kabulo 58, district education officer, Mr Haruna Kamba, 50, Deputy CAO Bugiri District,
Others are; Mr Paul Moses Isiko, 56, district production officer, Mr Fred Ikaaba, 54, district engineer and Mr Muhamed Kyondha, 49, district planner.
The group was Tuesday arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro for plea-taking.
They denied three counts of causing financial loss contrary to Section 20(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2009, and one count of abetment to the offence of causing financial loss contrary to section 52(c) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2009.
Prosecutors from the Inspectorate of Government led by Ms Sylvia Nabirye and Mr Earnest Katwesigye told the court that inquiries in the matter are complete thus seeking a hearing date.
“Your worship, inquiries in this matter are complete. We have 92 witnesses, and we pray that the session be held in Bugiri since 89 of the witnesses are based that side,” Mr Katwesigye submitted.
According to the charge sheet in the first count of causing financial loss, the prosecution states that Mr Kazimiro, Mr Nyende and Mr Waiswa between March 2019 and December 2022 in Bugiri District Local Government being employed as CAO, chief finance officer and senior accountant respectively, irregularly initiated, validated and approved payment of fictitious salary arrears amounting to Shs 552,174, 162 to various employees of Bugiri District Local Government knowing or having reason to believe that their actions would cause financial loss to the government.
The prosecution further states in count two that Mr Kazimiro, Mr Nyende and Ms Atoire between March 2019 and December 2022 being employed as CAO, chief finance officer and senior accounts assistant, caused a financial loss of Shs524,651,297.
It is further alleged in count three that Mr Kazimiro, Mr Nyende and Mr Bazibu between March 2019 and December 2022 caused a financial loss of Shs 185,887,962 million.
In the fourth count the prosecution states Mr Kabulo, Mr Kamba, Mr Isiko, Mr Ikaaba and Mr Kyondha being employed as district education officer, deputy CAO, district production officer, district engineer and district planner separately face a charge of abetting when they respectively, knowingly abetted the irregular payment of fictitious salary arrears amounting Shs1,262,713,421.
Through their lawyers, the group applied for bail but were remanded until March 14, when they will return for a hearing.
According to the court records, the arrest of the 10 suspects was due to several complaints from especially teachers over delayed salary payments. A verification exercise was done which showed that over Shs1.2 billion was stolen from salary payroll.
The records further indicate that for one who was earning around Shs2 million, Shs20 million would be deposited on their account and immediately the owner would receive a call notifying them of excess money thus the need to be returned.
