Two Devt bank officials off prosecution

By Edward Anyoli     

Two officials of Uganda Development Bank (UDB) accused of victimizing a whistleblower over sh28b have survived prosecution.

Sydney  Asubo,  the  director  of legal  affairs   from  Inspectorate  of    Government (IGG) Thursday said  the Inspectorate  decided  to drop  charges against Francis Ojede, the  bank’s  director  of human resource and  administration and  Juliet  Nagawa Luggya, the company secretary.

The  two  had  been summoned on July 29,  to  appear    before  Buganda  Road  Court   and  answer  charges  of victimizing  a whistleblower. The prosecution said Nagawa and Ojede will be turned into state witnesses.

Asubo  told the  Buganda  Road  Court   Magistrate   Julius  Borore  that   the Inspectorate would  not  proceed with  charges  against the two but   Patricia  Ojangole,  chief  executive  officer,  Andrew Mulubya director  management  information officer  and  Daniel Kaggwa  director finance  will be prosecuted  as charged.

Three  are alleged  to have  victimized  Charlotte  Kazoora Mucunguzi  for disclosing  to the  inspectorate  alleged  irregularities by the bank in  handling a  huge  loan application by Savannah Commodities Ltd. Savannah  Commodities   is owned by Hannington  Karuhanga.

Mucunguzi was dismissed by a decision taken at the bank’s extra ordinary executive management meeting held on January24. The Inspectorate said the victimization was contrary to provision of the Whistleblowers Act, particularly section 16 and 9 of the Act.

Section16 stipulates the penalty for victimization, which is imprisonment not exceeding five years upon conviction or fine not exceeding 120 currency points (sh2.4m) .