Ex-MTN boss grilled over sh10b loss

Former MTN finance manager Patrick Ssentongo was on Friday grilled by prosecution over his alleged role in mobile money transaction in which sh10b was lost.

Patrick Ssentongo was quizzed for hours over different 50 fraudulent transactions in mobile money business.

Court heard that fraudulent transactions totaling sh241,986,000 occurred between August and September, 2011. Some of the transactions were created using allegedly fictitious name of Ronald Ssebugenyi.

According to prosecution exhibit number 26 that was tendered in court, the document shows that money was irregularly transferred from the system to one of the accused Joan Nabugwawo to Ssentongo.

Lead prosecutor Marion Acio from  Directorate  of  Public  Publications(DPP) grilled Ssentongo on  why  he  deliberately went against MTN  policy  and transacted  business through mobile money  with his  wife  Saudah Nakibugwe, who is a proprietor of Always Uganda Limited.

Ssentongo was further quizzed on how he also used company mobile number to conduct private business contrary to MTN policy without any justification.

He said though he used his official number given to him by MTN to transact mobile money business, there was no fraud committed.

Ssentongo admitted during  cross- examination  that  he  used  to share his passwords  and also  delegate  his colleagues  to transact mobile money business in his absence  contrary to company policy.

Prosecution tendered before Anti-Corruption Court presided over by Justice Lawrence Gidudu, Ssentongo's police statement in which he admitted that he used to share password with his colleagues as exhibit.

"It was true we used to share passwords because there was over two million mobile money transcribers," Ssentongo.

Court also ruled that Ssentongo's co- accused Joan Nabugwawo a cashier, Angella Ayo revenue analyst, Brian Okurut a revenue assurance analyst and Eriya Barwamwijuka have a case to answer. Other accused are yet to give their defence.

Ssentongo was being cross-examined by the prosecution after he concluded his defence.

Prosecution led by state attorneys Acio, Tom Walugembe  and  Maxim Tee  Elizooba from Directorate  of  Public  Prosecutions(DPP)  said in May2011  Ssentongo and Nabugwawo  allegedly embezzled sh8m from MTN.

In the second count Ssentongo and Nabugwawo are accused of embezzling sh67m.

On the third account Ssentongo, Nabugwawo and Ayo are facing another charge of embezzlement of sh3.7b.

In separate charged of embezzlement Ssentongo, Okurut, and Baryamwijuka are accused of embezzling sh5.8b from MTN mobile money.

According to the last count, Ssentongo, Nabugwawo, Okurut, Ayo and Baryamwijuka are accused of conspiracy to defraud MTN of sh10b by making fraudulent transactions in MTN mobile money computer system. They denied the charges.

Trial continues on February 8th.