Ex- UNRA manager's sh32m loss trial starts

The trial of former Uganda National Road Authority (UNRA) corporate communications manager charged with offence of conflict of interest over sh32.6m loss, starts  today( March10)

Dan Alinange is facing charges of conflict of interest, corruption and abuse of office at the Anti- Corruption Court in Kololo, Kampala. He denied the charges and dismisses the claims as untrue.

Alinange, 46, was first charged on October20, 2016 with two counts of corruption and abuse of office but  later the state amended the charges to include conflict of interest.

It  is alleged  that Alinange in  February2015,  in the course of his duty  as the  Corporate Communications manager directed  Mota Engil, a company contracted  by  UNRA  to pay sh32.6m to AK Limited  a  company  in  which  he  had  personal  interest  as  a  director communications.

The money was purportedly   for ground breaking ceremony of the Kampala Northern Bypass road project which prosecution said was in conflict of his official duties.

In another count of corruption, it is alleged that in February, 2015 in Kampala, Alinange illicitly obtained financial benefit for himself fraudulently.

Prosecution  led  by state attorney  Lydia  Katami, in another  account of abuse of office, accused Alinange of having  obtained sh32.6m from  Mota Engil  a  company  contracted  by  UNRA during the ground breaking ceremony of the Kampala northern Bypass road project.

Under section (2) of the Anti- Corruption Act any person found guilty of the offence of corruption is liable to 12 years imprison on conviction or a fine not exceeding sh4.8m or both.

Abuse of office under section 11(1) (2) of the Anti- Corruption Act carries 7- years imprisonment or a fine not exceeding sh3.3m or both.

Conflict of interest under section 9 of the Anti- Corruption Act carries a maximum sentence of 12 years imprisonment on conviction or a fine not exceeding sh100m or both.