Ambassador pins ministry official on embezzlement

Nov 30, 2010

THE foreign affairs ministry permanent secretary has told the Anti-Corruption Court that Sarah Bireete, the ministry’s Great Lakes Region internal coordinator, embezzled over $100,000 (over sh290m).

By Hillary Nsambu

THE foreign affairs ministry permanent secretary has told the Anti-Corruption Court that Sarah Bireete, the ministry’s Great Lakes Region internal coordinator, embezzled over $100,000 (over sh290m).

Ambassador James Mugume was testifying in a case in which Bireete is charged with abuse of office and embezzlement.

He told Justice John Bosco Katutsi on Monday that the accused used the money, which was Uganda’s surplus contribution from the Bujumbura Secretariat, for her own gain.

The court heard that when Bireete received the money, she created an NGO.

She also opened an account with Tropical Bank in Kampala on which she deposited the money. However, the branch bank manager, Lagras Oryema, told the court that Bireete withdrew most of the money, leaving a balance of only sh200,000.

Mugume denied asking for a refund from Bujumbura.

In 2009, the ministry received a letter, purportedly from the Bujumbura secretariat, saying the remitted sum was a grant for the Uganda National Coordinator Mechanism for payment of salaries and office administration.


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