District Officials Arrested Over Embezzlement Of Gov’t Funds

Posted by: Eninu William in Uganda news May 17, 2023

Four District Officials in Kigezi Sub-regionwere last evening arrested by the State House Anti-corruption Unit over alleged abuse of office, embezzlement of funds and causing financial loss to the Government.

The four officials include the Rubanda District Engineer Denis Twesigomwe. The Rubanda District Water Engineer David Otika, and the Lyakarimira town council engineer in Kabale District Spencer Ngabirano. And lastly the Kanungu District senior Engineer Eric Sivaseya Mutumba.

The suspects were first picked up by the State House Anti-corruption Unit. This was led by the Deputy Director of Anti-corruption attached to Internal Security Organization Fatuma Namukwaya from their respective areas.

They were then gathered at Kabale municipal council offices for interrogation before they were arrested and handed over to police at Kabale central police station.

The arrest followed the directive of the minister of State for Economic Monitoring in the Office of the President Beatrice Akello Akori.

This was during her monitoring mission in the Kigezi Sub-region to monitor the implementation of several government projects.

While in Rubanda District, Akello directed the investigations to ascertain the reasons behind the shoddy works at Mpungu Health Center III in Hamurwa Sub County.

Twesigomwe is accused of failing to supervise and ascertain the shoddy works at Mpungu Health Center III. He also cleared the project before the certificates of payments.

While Otika is accused of failing to guide the former District council while approving the 6.2 billion. This was for the water supply project at Bushura in Hamuhambo town council of Rubanda District.

In Kanungu, Mutumba is also accused of failing to supervise the renovation works at Ntungamo Health Center III. This was before he could clear certificates of payments and paying 55 million shillings in excess of the initial contract sum.

This was without clear authorization and failing to guide the council on the renovation works of staff houses at Lyakarimira town council in Kabale District.

He is also being accused of clearing and sanctioning payments of about 100 million shillings. This was for the construction of a multipurpose hall. This was allegedly embezzled by the former town clerk Alex Ampeire.

Addressing journalists at Kabale central police station, the Kigezi Regional Police Spokesperson Elly Maate confirmed the arrest. He said they will later be transferred to Kabale for further investigations.

This is before they can be handed over to the Director of Public Prosecutions to have their files sanctioned.

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