Probe into BoU sh60b heist incomplete – State

___________________

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions has informed the court that investigations into the Bank of Uganda (BoU) sh60b heist case against nine interdicted finance ministry officials, including former Accountant General Lawrence Ssemakula, are incomplete.

When the case resumed on April 17, 2025, Chief State Attorney Safina Bireke informed the Anti-Corruption Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Racheal Nakyazze, that investigations are incomplete.

“My lord, we pray that you adjourn the case to another date for mention, pending investigations by the Police,” she requested, prompting the court to adjourn the matter to May 19, 2025. 

Ssemakula faces charges of corruption alongside Jennifer Muhuruzi, 55, (commissioner treasury services); Pedson Twesigomwe, 45, (assistant commissioner accounts) and Paul Nkalubo Lumala, 40, (IT systems officer).

Others include Deborah Dorothy Kusiima, 33, (senior accountant), Judith Ashaba, 43, (accountant), Bettina Nayebare, 31, (research assistant accountant), Tony Yawe,46, (senior IT officer) and Mark Kasiiku, 33, (IT specialist).

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

Allegations

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 sh23.9b), to the Government.

It is purported that 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 allegedly concealed the irregular payment of $6,134,137 (sh22.5b) to an unauthorised payee in the name of Roadway Company Limited.

Yawe is accused of irregularly altering the payment instructions for sh22.5b that was supposed to be paid to the International Development Association 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.

Prosecution also alleges that between September 20, 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.

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 (sh24.5b) 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 in 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 a 15-year jail term or a fine not exceeding sh2b, on conviction.