Kanungu NAADs officials arrested
Nov 22, 2009
SEVEN officials of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) in Kanungu district were arrested at Kanungu Police Station on Friday.
By Ronald Kalyango
SEVEN officials of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) in Kanungu district were arrested at Kanungu Police Station on Friday.
The officials include the former district coordinator, Bernard Karugusi, the internal auditor, Fred Mugarura and the examiner of accounts, Patrick Mwerinde.
Others include the Kanyantorogo sub-county chief, David Ampumuza, sub-accountant Rogers Twoyongyerire, the Kambuga sub-county coordinator, Andrew Namanya and another sub-accountant, Charles Mugisha.
They were arrested by the taskforce set up by the agriculture minister, Hope Mwesigye, which is investigating the misuse of NAADS funds countrywide.
“We have put them under Police custody as we conclude our investigations,†said Dr. Emily Twinamasiko, the chairperson of the taskforce.
She said after the investigations, their cases would be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for perusal.
Twinamasiko noted that Karugusi, who was suspended from office on September 10 by the chief administrative officer, Joseph Byaruhanga, refused to handover until October 2.
In that period, he withdrew over sh17m from the programme.
Karugusi was also accused of mismanaging a tea development project which cost the Government sh400m.
The Kanungu district chairperson, Josephine Kasya, informed the taskforce that the tea project was pledged by President Yoweri Museveni during his Prosperity-For-All drive in the district in 2008.
“We are embarrassed as a district. The project which was supposed to benefit our electorates has been implemented with minimal technical advice,†said Kasya.
In all the visited sub-counties, the taskforce established that there was no supply of tea plantlets and many farmers were made to sign for plantlets which they never received.
In Kihihi town council, the taskforce established that out of the sh25m which they received for the NAADS projects this financial year, over sh17m had not been utilised for agricultural production.
It also became evident in Kambuga sub-county that though farmers were supposed to be given farm inputs they were instead given money to purchase the equipment.
Twinamasiko said her team would continue to investigate abuse of office, embezzlement of funds, forgery and uttering false documents in the district.
[The task force would also investigate falsification, theft, conspiracy to commit felony and neglect of duty.
They are supposed to arrest and prosecute those involved in theft and misuse of the funds.
On Tuesday, the Kanungu district senior accounts assistant, Leonard Beitomwe, was arrested but later released on Police bond.
He was accused of giving false information related to the mismanagement of NAADS funds.
SEVEN officials of the National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS) in Kanungu district were arrested at Kanungu Police Station on Friday.
The officials include the former district coordinator, Bernard Karugusi, the internal auditor, Fred Mugarura and the examiner of accounts, Patrick Mwerinde.
Others include the Kanyantorogo sub-county chief, David Ampumuza, sub-accountant Rogers Twoyongyerire, the Kambuga sub-county coordinator, Andrew Namanya and another sub-accountant, Charles Mugisha.
They were arrested by the taskforce set up by the agriculture minister, Hope Mwesigye, which is investigating the misuse of NAADS funds countrywide.
“We have put them under Police custody as we conclude our investigations,†said Dr. Emily Twinamasiko, the chairperson of the taskforce.
She said after the investigations, their cases would be submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for perusal.
Twinamasiko noted that Karugusi, who was suspended from office on September 10 by the chief administrative officer, Joseph Byaruhanga, refused to handover until October 2.
In that period, he withdrew over sh17m from the programme.
Karugusi was also accused of mismanaging a tea development project which cost the Government sh400m.
The Kanungu district chairperson, Josephine Kasya, informed the taskforce that the tea project was pledged by President Yoweri Museveni during his Prosperity-For-All drive in the district in 2008.
“We are embarrassed as a district. The project which was supposed to benefit our electorates has been implemented with minimal technical advice,†said Kasya.
In all the visited sub-counties, the taskforce established that there was no supply of tea plantlets and many farmers were made to sign for plantlets which they never received.
In Kihihi town council, the taskforce established that out of the sh25m which they received for the NAADS projects this financial year, over sh17m had not been utilised for agricultural production.
It also became evident in Kambuga sub-county that though farmers were supposed to be given farm inputs they were instead given money to purchase the equipment.
Twinamasiko said her team would continue to investigate abuse of office, embezzlement of funds, forgery and uttering false documents in the district.
[The task force would also investigate falsification, theft, conspiracy to commit felony and neglect of duty.
They are supposed to arrest and prosecute those involved in theft and misuse of the funds.
On Tuesday, the Kanungu district senior accounts assistant, Leonard Beitomwe, was arrested but later released on Police bond.
He was accused of giving false information related to the mismanagement of NAADS funds.