Two officials from ministry of Local Government have been charged with abuse of office and embezzlement. According to the charge sheet prepared by the Inspectorate of Government Issa Gumonye, an assistant commissioner and the principal urban officer Prosy Nampijja embezzled funds meant for routine field routines during the FY 2014/15.
Gumonye allegedly received Shs 394,922,200 from government to travel to various districts around the country for routine field inspections and monitoring of government programmes, but did not visit some of the districts, and as a result, a sum of Shs 222 million remained unaccounted for.
The money was reportedly lost during Gumonye's time of service as assistant commissioner in the ministry of Local Government. The suspects are also accused of falsifying documents to indicate that they have facilitated training at Hayat guesthouse in Mbale.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and applied for bail, which was granted by chief magistrate Pamela Lamunu after presenting substantive sureties Shs 10 million cash. Each of their sureties has been bonded at Shs 100 million, not cash. They were ordered to deposit their passports with the court.
State attorney's Fadil Mawanda and Farouk Lubega and Makindye Ssabagabo town clerk Joseph Kimbowa stood surety for Gumonye while Kyotera chief administrative officer Fred Kalyesubula, Ntejeru-Kisoga town clerk Kizito Francis Walubiri and economist Collins Ssebaduka stood surety for Nampijja.
Meanwhile, the court has issued criminal summons against Ronald Mbala an urban officer with ministry of Local Government together with Ahishakiye Martin Hashaka the manager of Hayat guesthouse, who are also implicated in the case.
Hashaka is particularly accused of conspiring with Gumonye to defraud the government of Uganda when he claimed to have provided services for training at Hayat guesthouse whereas not.
Source
