By Josephine Maseruka

MPs yesterday grilled Nakasongola district officials over failure to account for sh346m in the 2007/08 financial year.

The delegation, led by the chief administrative officer (CAO), Philemon Mubiru, and the former district CAO, Chrysostum Kayise, was meeting the parliamentary local government accounts committee chaired by Johnson Mallinga.

Among the queries raised by the Auditor General was the lack of evidence that the sh252.5m deductions in Pay As You Earn was remitted to Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).

Mallinga said lack of supporting evidence was in contravention of the Income Tax Act and that it may attract penalties.

Mubiru, however, said at the time of the AG’s report, URA officials had not issued the receipts.

The committee also blamed the team of wasting over sh53m on drilling four boreholes for the community which failed to yield water.

Mubiru, assisted by the chief finance officer, Edith Kirega, argued that Nakasongola’s geology is unique because the water level changes.

The officials noted that they paid Acqua Consultancy for only the work that was done. On the over sh28m advances to various council officers that remained unaccounted for, Kayise said about sh7m was brought forward from the previous financial year and it had been advanced to four officials.

The MPs were shocked to learn that since then, the district administration and the Police had failed to trace the accused.

The district officials also accepted blame for budget alterations amounting to sh12.5m.