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KAMPALA - The Anti-Corruption Court has ordered three key witnesses in a case where a former employee of Western Cable Company Limited is accused of stealing shillings 3.7 billion from the company.

Juliet Namuli Asiya is facing the charges alongside two others: Robert Kimbowa and Joanita Nakatudde, before Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga at the Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.

Justice Kajuga on April 17, 2024, issued summons compelling Mary Nafuma, George Munene, and Justine Mukinda to appear in court on April 30 and May 20, 2024, and give evidence.

The prosecution led by Chief State Attorneys Abigail Agaba and Gloria Inzikuru at the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), had asked court to issue warrant of arrest on grounds that the witnesses were deliberately refusing to testify.

However, in her ruling on the application for a warrant of arrest, Justice Kajuga said no convincing evidence was provided to warrant court to issue a warrant of arrest.

Prosecution’s case

It is alleged that between January 2012 and December 31, 2016, while Namuli was employed as an accountant at Western Cable Company Limited, stole shillings 1.7 billion which she had access to by virtue of her employment.

In the second count, it is alleged that between January 2014 and December 2016 Western Cable Company Ltd at Industrial Area, in Kampala, Namuli stole shillings 1.3 billion.

Prosecution alleges that Namuli and Kimbowa in August 2015 and December 2016, at the Western Cable Company Limited offices on Sixth Street Industrial Area and dfcu Bank in Kampala, stole yet another shillings 751 million from the company.

Namuli and Kimbowa are also facing charges of money laundering contrary to section 3 (c) 116 and 136(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. According to the prosecution the duo and others still at large from December 1, 2013 to December 31, 2016, laundered shillings 1.7 billion yet they knew that it was stolen money.

It is further alleged that Namuli and Kimbowa laundered another shillings 751 million in dfcu Bank through account number 01443553554618 in the name of Westerner Cables Uganda Ltd.

Prosecution said the accused knew that at the time they received the money it was a proceed of crime, from a cheque that Namuli allegedly stole from Western Cable Company Ltd.

Prosecution led by Abigail Agaba at the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) said Namuli and Kimbowa conspired to steal funds from Western Cable Company Ltd.

It is alleged that Nakatudde on May 30, 2018, at Letshego offices in Kampala, used land comprised in Busiro Block 459 Plot 547, land at Katale in Wakiso district as security and borrowed shillings 30 million, yet she knew that at the time of acquiring the property, it was a proceed of crime.

Prosecution said, she later sold and transferred the property comprised in Block 459 Plot 547 at Katale to Violet Tusiime. They denied the charges.

Western Cable Company Ltd manufactures cables for domestic use and industrial lighting.

What the law says

A person found guilty of embezzlement is liable to imprisonment up to 14 years or a fine of shillings 6.7 million or both. 

Under Section 3 of the Anti-Money Laundering Act, any person convicted of the offence of money laundering is liable to 15 years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding shillings 2 billion.

Under section 309 of the Penal Code Act, any person convicted under the Act is liable to three years imprisonment. The offence of theft under Section 254 of the Penal Code Act carries 10 years on conviction