UPPC staff on the spot over theft of Shs2.6b

By press time, at least five top officials of the Uganda Printing and Publishing Cooperation (UPPC) Limited were set to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court over alleged embezzlement of Shs2.6b, which money they received ahead of printing election materials ahead of the 2021 polls.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said the officials received three contracts worth Shs15b from the Electoral Commission in 2019 to print voters’ registers and nomination papers for presidential, parliamentary and local government elections of 2021 but Shs2.6b was allegedly embezzled. 

“We have five former employees of the UPPC that we are going to charge before the Anti-Corruption Court this afternoon (yesterday afternoon) for causing financial loss and for other related conspiracies,” Mr Enanga said in Naguru, Kampala.  

According to police, efforts are also in place to trace for three more suspects who are still on the run.

Police said the case dates back to 2019 when the electoral body entered into three printing contracts with UPPC.

“During the financial years 2019 to 2020 and 2020 to 2021, the UPPC entered into three contracts with the Electoral Commission (EC), for printing and publishing materials for polling stations for purposes of display of the national register for 2021 General Election,” Mr Enanga said.

“As a result, the EC transferred to the UPPC an estimated amount of Shs15b out of which, an estimated Shs2.6b was allegedly embezzled when the suspects chose to put themselves above the company,” he said.

According to police, the alleged embezzled funds were falsely presented as an 18 percent commission charge on the contracts with EC.

This charge, he explained, was illegal because all government ministries, departments and professional bodies are not supposed to pay that 18 percent.

“But of course, the board conspired and tried to come up with a fraudulent way of harmonising this 18 percent to make it look like it was legal which was against the direct procurement protocols by MDAs,” he said.

He further said when the police carried out a search at UPPC offices, Shs600m out of Shs2.6b was recovered, which he said would be exhibited and presented as evidence in court.

“We continue to warn all workers who betray the trust of their companies, employers and institutions and selfishly choose to put themselves and their greed over the needs of the company that their days are numbered and our teams are dedicated to identifying, investigating all those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means,” Mr Enanga said.