Ex-Accountant General Ssemakula applies for bail in sh60b BOU heist case

The interdicted Accountant General Lawrence Ssemakula, who is charged with numerous offences of corruption in connection to the alleged sh60b Bank of Uganda (BOU) heist, has applied for bail at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.

Ssemakula, 58, is battling the offences together with commissioner treasury services Jennifer Muhuruzi, 55, assistant commissioner accounts Pedson Twesigomwe, 45, senior IT officer Tony Yawe, 46, and IT systems officer Paul Nkalubo Lumala, 40.

Others are senior accountant Deborah Dorothy Kusiima, 33, accountant Judith Ashaba, 43, research assistant accountant Bettina Nayebare, 31, and IT specialist Mark Kasiiku, 33.

The head of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, Justice Lawrence Gidudu is expected to hear Ssemakula’s bail application on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.

In his bail application, Ssemakula argues that he has substantial sureties and a permanent place of residence on Crescent Road in Bukoto, a Kampala suburb.

He also states that it is his constitutional right to be released on bail.

The accused are battling charges of corruption, causing financial loss, money laundering and electronic fraud.

Allegations

Apart from Kasiiku, the remaining accused individuals were charged with corruption, contrary to Sections 2(I) and 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment upon conviction.

Prosecution alleges that Ssemakula and Muhuruzi between January and October 2024, at the finance ministry at Plot 2-8, Sir Apollo Kaggwa Road, in Kampala City, neglected to put in place effective systems to safeguard public funds, which resulted into a financial loss of $6,525,852 (about shillings 23.9 billion), to the Government of Uganda.

According to the charge sheet, Twesigomwe, Kusiima and Lumala between September 9 and 11, 2024, at the finance ministry headquarters in Kampala, participated as accomplices, in the commission of the offence of corruption, when they purportedly concealed the irregular payment of $6,134,137 (shilling 22.5 billion) to an unauthorised payee in the name of Roadway Company Ltd.

Meanwhile, Yawe and Kasiiku, are battling charges of causing financial loss, contrary to section 19 of the Anti-Corruption Act. The offence of causing financial loss attracts a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment, on conviction.

Yawe is accused of irregularly altering the payment instructions for $6,134,137 (shillings 22.5 billion) that was supposed to be paid to International Development Association as payment for principal and interest by substituting the intended payee with Roadway Company Limited purporting to be payment for recycling plant and machinery, for purposes of illicitly obtaining benefits for the said company.

He allegedly committed the offence between September 9 and 11, 2024, at the finance ministry headquarters offices in Kampala. 

It is purported that between September 20, 2024, and October 1, 2024, at the finance ministry offices in Kampala, Kasiiku, manipulated the payment instruction files in respect of $391,720, (sh1,4b), which was supposed to be paid to International Development Association to MJS International London, a company that was not entitled to the said payment.

Yawe and Kasiiku are also battling charges of electronic fraud, contrary to Section 18 (I) of the Computer Misuse Act, which elicits a maximum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment upon conviction.

Prosecution alleges that Yawe in January 2024 at the finance ministry headquarters in Kampala, by means of deception and with intention of securing an unlawful gain, deliberately manipulated the payment instruction files of the integrated financial management system by altering the payment details from International Development Association Washington, who was the intended payee, $6,674,320, to an unintended payee in the name of International Development Association Sielska, Poznan, Poland.

According to prosecution, Yawe abused the authority of his office by allegedly committing the arbitrary act, which is prejudicial to the interests of his employer (Government).

On the other hand, Kasiiku is accused of introducing executable like scripts on the oracle programme on the integrated financial management system that resulted into authorised payment of $8,596,824 (sh31.5b) to MJS International London, between September 23, 2024, and September 27, 2024.

Yawe, Twesigomwe, Kusiima, Nayebare, Lumala and Kasiiku were also charged with money laundering, contrary to section 3 (b)., 116 and 136 (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act. The offence elicits 15-year jail term or a fine not exceeding sh2b, on conviction.