Pension scam suspects record fresh statements

By Steven Candia  and Simon Masaba   

Detectives investigating the sh169b pension scam have revealed another US$ 113,000 (about sh282.5m) suspected to have been fraudulently paid to foreign pensioners.

The three main suspects, Christopher Obey, the former principal accountant in the ministry of public service; David Oloka,, a former a senior assistant accountant in charge pensions in the same ministry and Peter Ssajjabi, the general secretary of East African Community Pension Beneficiaries Association (EACBA) who have been out on police bond were on Monday quizzed in connection with the amounts allegedly paid to the former workers of the East African Community.

The trio appeared at the criminal intelligence and investigations directorate (CIID) headquarters Kibuli   following police summons issued last week. By press time, the trio who arrived in Kibuli at midday was still at the CIID headquarters.

"We are interrogating them over issues to do suspected fraud in foreign currency," Grace Akullo the CIID boss yesterday confirmed but declined to divulge details.

 But detectives revealed that in the latest investigations, has been discovered another   US$ 113,000 (about sh 282.5m) was fraudulently paid to foreign pensioners through ghost accounts.

The money a bulk of was paid and withdrawn in 2009. The payment was in regard to foreigners pensioners who allegedly served under the East African Community (EAC).

A payment voucher from Cairo International Bank- CIB and other documents that the New Vision has seen indicate that US$87,438 (about sh218.5m) was paid to Oloka on January 2009 in regard to the same matter following recommendations by Obey.

Prior to the payments being made, sources said Obey allegedly wrote to the Bank introducing Oloka, then the officer in charge cash office pensions to receive draft/cash payment for foreign pensioners.

Most of the said beneficiaries, police said, according to documents are claimed to be members of the East African Community Pension Beneficiaries Association (EACBA).

 The probe which has developed many twists and turn first started as a sh63b scam but has since grown to sh169b and has seen several top persons in the ministry including the permanent secretary Jimmy Lwamafa interdicted.

Police early this month as part of the heightened probe into the matter began going after the properties of the suspects on grounds of illicit accumulation of wealth, which saw the trio arrested and detained over several days before being released on police bond.

Sources on Monday said other than the three, three other suspects, among them Kenneth Turyomwe and were interrogated in connection with the ongoing pension scam.