The Anti-Corruption court in Kampala has remanded ten officials from Bugiri district for swindling over Shs 1.2 billion through payments of fictitious salary arrears during the 2019/20 COVID-19 lockdown.
The suspects are; Ezakuru Kazimiro the former Bugiri chief administrative officer (CAO), Mustapha Nyende, Bugiri district finance officer, Minsa Atoire and Fred Bazibu Bugiri district senior accountant.
Others are; Henry Kabulo, Bugiri district education officer (DEO), Haruna Kamba, deputy chief administrative officer, Paul Moses Isiko, Bugiri district production officer, Fred Ikaaba and Muhammad Kyonda; the Bugiri district engineer and planner.
The suspects were today Wednesday arraigned before chief magistrate Joan Aciro and charged with four counts of causing financial loss.
The court heard that between March 2019 and December 2022 Ezakuru; the current CAO of Madi-Okollo district while employed as the CAO of Bigiri district together with Nyende Mustapha and Minsa Atoire irregularly initiated, validated and approved payment of fictitious salary arrears to a tune of Shs 1.2 billion to various employees of Bugiri district local government well knowing that their actions would occasion loss to the government.
According to the IGG, the other seven suspects including DEO Kabulo and the deputy CAO Kamba aided and abetted the irregular payments thereby causing the government a loss of 1.2 billion.
The prosecutors attached to the Inspectorate of Government including Ernest Katwesigye told the court that inquiries into the matter are completed and they have lined up 92 witnesses including district staff whose salaries were swindled.
The suspects who were arrested on Monday by the Inspectorate of Government following complaints from several district employees denied the charges and asked to be released on bail. They cited grounds of ill health, the charges being bailable among others.
Despite presenting sureties who included their relatives and friends, the prosecution sought an adjournment to respond to the bail application. They were then remanded and sent to Luzira Prison until Wednesday. According to information obtained from the investigators, the said swindled money was meant to pay teachers during the 2019-2020 COVID-19 lockdown.
