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The Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court has issued criminal summons against the former managing director of Uganda Railways Corporation (URC), Stanley Sendegeya, regarding a loss of sh146 million.

On Thursday (March 21), Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Albert Asiimwe summoned Sendegeya to appear in court on Friday (March 22) to answer charges of causing financial loss to the government.

He issued the summons at the request of Chief State Attorney Gloria Inzikuru from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Sendegeya’s lawyer Benon Tusasirwe informed the court that his client was sick and asked the court for more time. However, the magistrate ruled that Sendegeya should endeavour to appear in court and plead to the charge.

“Try as much as possible to ensure that your client appear in court to plead to this charge,” Asiimwe told Tusasirwe.

Sendegeya’s co-accused, engineers Nicholas Kakooza and Peter Chrys Katwebaze, were charged before the same court the same day (Thursday).

The duo were remanded to Luzira Prison after they failed to present substantial sureties.

They were charged with one count of causing financial loss contrary to Section 20(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2009 as amended.

Kakooza and Katwebaze are accused of causing irregular payment of an additional $38,200 (approximately sh146 million) to the Kenya Railways Corporation for the security and transportation of four locomotives procured by URC.

It is alleged this happened in August 2021 at the URC offices at Plot 57 Nasser Road in Kampala City when Kakooza and Katwebaze were employed by URC as mechanical engineer and assistant mechanical engineer respectively. 

The prosecution team, led by Inzikuru, alleges that the locomotives had been procured from Chwengamwe in Kenya's port city of Mombasa to Nalukulongo in Kampala.

It is further alleged that the payment had already been made to GPR Leasing Africa under the contract for the supply, delivery, training, and commissioning of four used locomotives. However, the accused purportedly made another payment.

According to the prosecution, the accused knew that making such extra payments would cause a financial loss to the government of Uganda. 

They denied the charge.