10 Bugiri district officials remanded over embezzlement

Ten officials from Bugiri District Local Government have been charged and remanded to Luzira prison for allegedly  causing government a loss of Shs1.2 billion in teachers’ salaries during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The suspects are: Ezakuru Kazimiro, the former Chief Administrative Officer of Bugiri  District Local Government , Mustapha Nyende, the Bugiri District finance officer , Minsa Atoire and Fred Bazibu (senior accountants).

Others are: Henry Kabulo the Bugiri district education officer, Haruna Kamba, the Deputy CAO, Paul Moses Isiko, the Bugiri district production officer, Fred Ikaaba and Muhammad Kyonda ; the Bugiri District engineer and planner respectively.

The group was arrested on Monday, March 11, 2024,  by officials from the Inspectorate of Governement following complaints from several district employees regarding their missing salary arrears.

It’s stated that between March 2019 and December 2022  Ezakuru, the current CAO of Madi -Okollo District while  employed as the Chief Administrative Officer of Bigiri District Local Government together with Mr Nyende and  Atoire  irregularly  initiated, validated and approved payment of  salary arrears to a tune of Shs1.2 well knowing that thier actions would cause a loss to government.

According to the IGG, the other 7 suspects including the District Education officer Mr Kabulo Henry and the Deputy CAO Haruna Kamba aided and abetted the irregular payments there by causing government Shs1.2 billion loss.

The group appeared before chief magistrate Joan Aciro on Tuesday and denied the crime.

Prosecutors from the Inspectorate of Government’s Ernest Katwesigye and Nabirye informed court that inquiries into the matter are complete and they have lined up 92 witnesses including the  Bugiri District Local Government employees whose salaries were swindled.

The group has applied to be released on bail on grounds of ill health while others say it is their constitutional right. The officials presented sureties including relatives and friends but they have not been released as the state requests an adjournment to ably respond to the bail application.

They have been ordered to return to court on Thursday this week.