Rukungiri MP refunds Global Fund cash
Oct 08, 2009
RUKUNGIRI woman MP Winnie Masiko claims only sh7.9m of Global Fund money was not accounted for and all of it was refunded. Her lawyer, Geoffrey Kandeebe, told the court on Wednesday that the money was paid on April 2, 2009 to the Ministry of Finance.
By Edward Anyoli
RUKUNGIRI woman MP Winnie Masiko claims only sh7.9m of Global Fund money was not accounted for and all of it was refunded. Her lawyer, Geoffrey Kandeebe, told the court on Wednesday that the money was paid on April 2, 2009 to the Ministry of Finance.
Kadeebe said only sh7.9m of the sh188m her NGO, Rukugiri Gender and Development Association (Rugada), received had not been accounted for.
Masiko is facing embezzlement charges of sh130m. She is being prosecuted together with Perez Rwabushaija, Boaz Tumuhimbise and Andrew Musiime with whom she was managing the organisation.
Masiko petitioned the High Court, saying the charges of embezzlement, forgery, and false accounting against her are wrong since there is no complaint from the owner of the money. State attorney Margaret Apiny said she was not aware that sh7.9m had been refunded.
“Even if the money is refunded, prosecution can still go ahead because there are other charges such as forgery and false accounting in connection with mismanaging money of the Global Fund,†Apiny said.
Justice Vincent Kibuuka told the attorney to verify with the finance ministry to determine whether the money was paid back. The case was adjourned to October 28.
In August 2005, the Global Fund suspended its portfolio of five grants worth $367m to Uganda due to concerns about mismanagement by the Project Management Unit, an entity within the Ministry of Health at the time.
It is estimated that over $1.6m (about sh3b) was misappropriated, prompting President Yoweri Museveni to institute the Ogoola Commission to look into the allegations of mismanagement.
RUKUNGIRI woman MP Winnie Masiko claims only sh7.9m of Global Fund money was not accounted for and all of it was refunded. Her lawyer, Geoffrey Kandeebe, told the court on Wednesday that the money was paid on April 2, 2009 to the Ministry of Finance.
Kadeebe said only sh7.9m of the sh188m her NGO, Rukugiri Gender and Development Association (Rugada), received had not been accounted for.
Masiko is facing embezzlement charges of sh130m. She is being prosecuted together with Perez Rwabushaija, Boaz Tumuhimbise and Andrew Musiime with whom she was managing the organisation.
Masiko petitioned the High Court, saying the charges of embezzlement, forgery, and false accounting against her are wrong since there is no complaint from the owner of the money. State attorney Margaret Apiny said she was not aware that sh7.9m had been refunded.
“Even if the money is refunded, prosecution can still go ahead because there are other charges such as forgery and false accounting in connection with mismanaging money of the Global Fund,†Apiny said.
Justice Vincent Kibuuka told the attorney to verify with the finance ministry to determine whether the money was paid back. The case was adjourned to October 28.
In August 2005, the Global Fund suspended its portfolio of five grants worth $367m to Uganda due to concerns about mismanagement by the Project Management Unit, an entity within the Ministry of Health at the time.
It is estimated that over $1.6m (about sh3b) was misappropriated, prompting President Yoweri Museveni to institute the Ogoola Commission to look into the allegations of mismanagement.