The Anti-Corruption will on December 6, 2023, rule on whether the former Uganda National Roads Authority engineer and his wife, accused of illicit enrichment and allegedly laundering shillings 6.2 billion, have a case to answer.  

Umar Katongole is facing charges alongside his wife Hawa Sengendo, a community development officer at Luwero district local government.  

According to the cause list released by the court on December 4, the case will come up for a ruling on whether the two accused persons should defend themselves against the accusation or not.         

Brenda Kimbugwe and Slyvia Nabirye from the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) are prosecuting the case. Aggrey Bwire is defending Katongole and Sengendo.  

Prosecution’s case 

Prosecution led by the manager in charge of prosecution, Brenda Kimbugwe Mawanda and senior inspectorate officer Sylvia Nabirye at the Inspectorate of Government (IG), alleged that Katongole, in August 2015 in Kampala City, concealed the source of his properties comprised in Block 180, plots1395, 1782 and 877 in Wakiso District.  

It is alleged that in order to further conceal the source of the properties, Katongole transferred the land in the name of Darkins Uganda Limited yet he knew that the properties were proceeds of crime. 

The prosecution further alleged that Sengendo concealed the transfer of another piece of land comprised in Block 26, plots 280, 281 and 282 at Mengo to Darkins Uganda, a company allegedly linked to Katongole.  

It is also alleged that Katongole and Sengendo, between April 2011 and August 2015, deposited shillings 2.8 billion in Tropical Bank Limited and concealed its source, yet they allegedly knew that the money was a proceed of crime.  

The prosecution argued for purposes of disguising the source of money, Katongole transferred the cash from Tropical Bank, where they owned a joint account with Sengendo, to Sengendo’s account number 0100017148 in Tropical Bank. 

Katongole and Sengendo denied the charges.