Eutaw bid papers did not meet procurement rules - witness

Businessman  Apollo Senkeeto passes by former works minister Abraham Byandala and others after appearing before the anti-corruption court. Photo by Richard Sanya

The bid guarantee documents, city businessman, Apollo Senkeeto, submitted to Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) on behalf of Eutaw was non-compliant with the procurement process, court heard on Thursday.

Gertrude Akiiki, 30, the former UNRA documentation and information manager told court that: "the original documents of the bid security from KCB and a performance guarantee from Housing Finance Bank were returned to Senkeeto in 2012."

"On November 19, 2013 I called Senkeeto to come and pick the original performance bond because it had issues," Akiiki revealed. 

She said the bid security issued to UNRA on behalf of Eutaw was for extension of Katosi Road contract.

She was testifying in a case against seven people including former works minister Abraham Byandala, accused of embezzling sh24.7b meant for the upgrade of Katosi Road from gravel to bitumen standard.

Others include: Berunado Kimeze Ssebbugga, 54, Joe Ssemugooma, 54, Marvin Baryaruha, 45, Wilberforce Senjako, all former UNRA senior managers and Senkeeto, 45, and Isaac Mugote, a former Housing Finance Bank official.

She revealed that the documents were not registered in Procurement and Disposal Unit (PDU) registry.

According to the charge sheet, Byandala is alleged to have influenced the procurement process that led to the award of tender to Eutaw.

Prosecution alleges that Senkeeto uttered a false KCB bank bid guarantee for sh1.9b in support of a bid for procurement of the road upgrade.

Senkeeto allegedly obtained execution of performance bond of sh16.5b from insurance company of East Africa and UAP by misrepresenting to them that it was guaranteeing a pending payment for the road.

Meanwhile, UNRA officials were accused by the IGG for effecting payment of sh24.7b to Eutaw without establishing its authenticity.

The case was adjourned to December 5, 2016 for further hearing.