War Veteran chairperson on the spot for allegedly stealing sh1.2b

Veterans' chairperson John Kinuge who has since been suspended (Picture by Wilson Asiimwe)

CRIME

KABAROLE - Police in Kabarole district have summoned the chairperson of Rwenzori Katebwa Civilian War Veterans Association to appear before the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for allegedly stealing over sh1.2b.

The Officer in Charge of CID in Kabarole District, Godliver Twinomugisha summoned John Kinuge to report to her office for interrogation.

According to police, Kinuge and other people yet to be identified allegedly conspired to steal sh1.2b, belonging to the association.

Recently the minister of state in charge of Luwero triangle, Ssozi Galabuzi suspended Kinuge after citing abuse of office and misappropriation of the association's funds.

Galabuzi instructed Stephen Asiimwe, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) for Kabarole, Sanyu Phiona the Chief Administrative officer for Kabarole to oversee the activities of the association.

"Kinuge must leave office and a new committee takes over the association because he has misused money and is failing the project which was initiated by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, to increase the house hold incomes of the veterans in the region," Galabuzi said.

The Association treasurer, Gertrude Rwahoima, said on May 05, 2016, she withdrew sh9, 527,100m from their Centenary bank account and handed it to Kinuge to start a project for the association.

She however said that Kinuge has since denied receiving the money despite signing the acknowledgement forms.

"Kinuge made accountability and said that the sh9.5m got lost, which prompted me to show the signed document, where he acknowledged receiving this very money, to Gen. Salim Saleh," she said.

Rwahoima also said on July 16 2015, the association members in Mugusu Sub County collected sh3,270,000m which she deposited on the association account in Centenary Bank statement on July 20, 2015.

Rwahoima says she was shocked when she found out that she was no longer a signatory to the bank account and the money had been withdrawn without accountability.

As a result, some members of the executive committee including the Vice Chairperson, Paul Kabaseke, Assistant General Secretary, Faith Nyakairu and Rwahoima have resigned accusing Kinuge of lack of accountability and misuse of funds.

Rwahoima accused Kinugi of soliciting funds from some members to buy land yet the said land was paid for two years back.

According to the members, 8 acres of land where bought in Kyabanyaga, Karago Town Council in Kabarole district in 2016 where they installed a brick laying machine that was donated by President Museveni.

"The land was bought at sh103m and the project has been running. You can't imagine that Kinuge has been secretly asking for sh100, 000-150,000 from unsuspecting elderly members claiming it's for buying land for this very project," said the source.

Kinuge has denied all the accusations, saying they are only meant to taint his name. He said that most of the association members would go to him with problems and ask for free money, which he would give, and this money wasn't paid back to him.

Kinuge adds that he has all the documents showing how the money was spent. He however, didn't comment on the sh12m which has allegedly not been accounted for according to Rwahoima.

Rwenzori Katebwa Civilian War Veterans Association is made up of 6,000 members drawn from Kabarole, Bunyangabu, Kasese, Kamwenge, Kyenjojo and Ntoroko districts.

Stephen Asiimwe, the RDC for Kabarole said that he had ordered police to impound the lorry which was donated to the association by the President because it was being misused by Kinuge.

"My office has in collaboration with the police been investigating the operations of the association because a lot of money has been misused by the Chairman of the association," Asiimwe said.