Kavuma jailed over Global Fund
The former Uganda Television (UTV) programme producer, Freddie Kavuma, was on Friday convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court after being found guilty of misusing the Global Fund money.
By Hillary Nsambu
The former Uganda Television (UTV) programme producer, Freddie Kavuma, was on Friday convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court after being found guilty of misusing the Global Fund money.
Justice Paul Mugamba, the deputy head of the anti-corruption division of the High Court, sentenced Kavuma to five year’s imprisonment and ordered him to refund sh41m to the Government.
Kavuma is the first person to be convicted by the court.
Mugamba said he was satisfied with evidence that Kavuma obtained sh41,920,000 from the Global Fund, to air sensitisation programmes on UTV, but instead used the money for his own gain.
The judge also agreed with the senior principal state attorney, James Odumbi, who prosecuted the case and said a custodial sentence of five years was appropriate for Kavuma to act as a signal to other corrupt people.
Court also sentenced Kavuma to three years imprisonment after convicting him of two charges of forgery and uttering false documents, but ruled that he should serve the sentences concurrently.
Kavuma, had asked court for leniency, saying he realised that there were some mistakes made.
He said he would refund the money in a month and asked court to consider his age and release him.
However, when court asked him whether he regretted what he had done, Kavuma emphatically said: “No.â€
The former Uganda Television (UTV) programme producer, Freddie Kavuma, was on Friday convicted by the Anti-Corruption Court after being found guilty of misusing the Global Fund money.
Justice Paul Mugamba, the deputy head of the anti-corruption division of the High Court, sentenced Kavuma to five year’s imprisonment and ordered him to refund sh41m to the Government.
Kavuma is the first person to be convicted by the court.
Mugamba said he was satisfied with evidence that Kavuma obtained sh41,920,000 from the Global Fund, to air sensitisation programmes on UTV, but instead used the money for his own gain.
The judge also agreed with the senior principal state attorney, James Odumbi, who prosecuted the case and said a custodial sentence of five years was appropriate for Kavuma to act as a signal to other corrupt people.
Court also sentenced Kavuma to three years imprisonment after convicting him of two charges of forgery and uttering false documents, but ruled that he should serve the sentences concurrently.
Kavuma, had asked court for leniency, saying he realised that there were some mistakes made.
He said he would refund the money in a month and asked court to consider his age and release him.
However, when court asked him whether he regretted what he had done, Kavuma emphatically said: “No.â€