Hoima Court acquits CAO

By Amlan Tumusiime THE Hoima Grade One Magistrate Court has acquitted the Chief Administrative Officer, Patrick Mwesigwa Isingoma, and three senior officials on charges of embezzlement and causing financial loss of sh3.8m to Hoima Hospital. In a judgement read by Magistrate Gad Tumushabe, on Tuesday, the evidence produced by the prosecution did not convince court that the accused persons committed the offence. The officials were accused of paying over sh5m to Man’s enterprises, a company contracted to clean the hospital wards for three rounds. The prosecution allege that only one round was carried out. Tumushabe said the district entomologist, Perez Kyomuhangi, inspected the wards, and issued a certificate of completion, saying he was certified with the work. He also said Nasser Kyambande’s testimony that he was paid over sh5m and instructed to use only sh1.9m for one round was not convincing. Kyambande also alleges that he was instructed to refund the balance to the hospital administrator, David Nuwamanya. Tumushabe said under normal circumstances, Kyambande could have got a receipt from Nuwamanya, who had been separately accused of embezzlement. The others aquited were the former hospital medical superintendent, Dr. Patrick Anguzu and the chief financial officer Jeremiah Bambalira. The prosecution alleged that the officials caused financial loss Tumushabe of sh3.8m to the Government by authorising payments of over sh5m to the contractor for five rounds instead of three.