Former town clerk charged with abuse of office, released on bail

By Michael Odeng                                                    

James Luyimbazi, the former clerk of Lukaya Town Council in Kalungu district has been charged with abuse of office and embezzlement of sh1m from government.

Luyimbazi, 43, together with former LC3 chairman of Lukaya Town Council, Bonny Ssali Kiddu, 58, were released on a cash bail of sh2m each by The Anti-Corruption Court Grade One Magistrate, Patricia Amoko last week.

The magistrate released the accused on grounds that they presented six substantial sureties in court.

The sureties were each bonded at sh20m not cash after submitting in court their passports, LC letters and identification cards.

“You should ensure that the accused attends court. The accused is also entitled to a refund of sh2m if he attends court,” Amoko said.

The duo was arraigned in court on Tuesday after being arrested by official from the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) and charged with abuse of office and embezzlement contrary to section 11 (1) (a) (d) (iii) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2009. They denied all the charges.

The IGG prosecutor, Diana Nantabaazi informed court that investigations into the case was still-ongoing. “I pray the case be adjourned to another date for mention.”

Subsequently, the magistrate adjourned the case to August 31, for mention. The accused persons were represented by Semakula Mukiibi.

The accused persons appeared composed before the magistrate. Luyimbazi was donned in a black suit and white shirt while Ssali was dressed in a striped suit and a white shirt. The court was fully-packed with relatives and friends.

Meanwhile, Mary Namugenyi, 36, the acting cashier of the Town Council, was charged with embezzlement in absentia.
 
The court heard that Luyimbazi in the course of his employment, during year 2012 arbitrarily sold off murram excavated from land measuring approximately 10, 000 kilometers square located at Lukaya Township in Kirinya Buddu in Bulakati, Kalungu district in disregard of the specific procedures of disposing Council assets as stipulated under the law, an act that was prejudicial to the interest of government.

It is further alleged that in the same period, Luyimbazi and Namugenyi stole sh1m, being money that they received on behalf of the Council from Reynolds Construction Company as payment of murram excavated from the said piece of land.
 
Meanwhile, Ssali is alleged to have participated in the process of arbitrarily leasing the said piece of land.

In a separate file, Luyimbazi was again charged with abuse of office before the Anti-Corruption Court Grade One Magistrate Agnes Alum and released on a cash bail of sh1.5.

According to the charge sheet, Luyimbazi is alleged to have leased off land measuring approximately 100 acres in Bulakati Airstrip at Kalungu district to individuals in disregard of the specific procedures and stipulated laws that govern lease of government land, an act that was prejudicial to the interest of Ministry of Defence.