Kaliro district officials' sh5.8b theft case deferred

KAMPALA - The case involving three officials from the Kaliro District Local Government, accused of embezzling sh5.8 billion from the district’s savings and credit cooperative organisation (SACCOS), has been postponed.

The Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court deputy registrar, Patrick Talisuna, on March 20, 2025, adjourned the case on behalf of Justice Lawrence Gidudu, who was unavailable.

The accused, chief finance officer Godfrey Mutome, accountant John Wabirwe, and human resource officer Rebecca Kwagala are on trial for embezzlement.

The case had been scheduled for a defence hearing after the court ruled that the three accused had a case to answer.

On January 22, 2025, Justice Gidudu directed that they must respond to the allegations against them.

However, when the accused appeared beforeTalisuuna, they were informed that the case could not proceed. It was subsequently adjourned to May 26, 2025.

Prosecution’s case

Mutome, Wabwire, and Kwagala are facing charges including embezzlement, money laundering and causing financial loss. Kwagala is facing charges of causing financial loss alone.

Regarding the charge of embezzlement, it is alleged that between October 2014 to July 2022 at Kaliro while employed as chief finance officer and accountant respectively at Kaliro district local government, Mutome and Wabwire stole sh5.8b money belonging to the district.

It is alleged that the accused persons disguised the funds as loan deductions that were borrowed from Kaliro Civil Servants’ SACCOS whereas not.

The prosecution alleged that Mutome and Wabwire laundered the money when they further disguised the source of sh5.8b which was transferred from the Kaliro district local government account to Kaliro Civil Servant SACCOS claiming it was a loan deducted from members of the SACCOS.

Prosecution said Kwagala while employed as the Human Resource at Kaliro district local government originated invoices and allegedly created an account to allegedly steal money from Kaliro district local government yet she knew that such omission would cause loss.

New charges over sh7b

Meanwhile, the accused are facing new charges. They were arrested on January 22, 2025, as they left court and produced before Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe, and charged with causing a financial loss of sh7b.

The accused Kwagala, Mutome, and Wabwire are facing seven charges of causing financial loss to the Kaliro district local government.

Prosecution, led by Dr Ernest Katwesigye, a supervisor in charge of prosecutions at the IG, alleges that between July 1, 2019, and June 30, 2022, the accused, while serving as principal human resource officer, accountant, and chief finance officer respectively, initiated, processed, and approved fictitious gratuity and pension payments, claiming they were genuine.

It is further alleged that their actions resulted in a financial loss to the government. They are out on bail.