Auditor pins former Crown Coverters employees over sh1.6b theft

Former employees of Crown Converters Limited, embezzled sh1.6b from the company, the Anti-Corruption Court has heard.

Godfrey Mwika, an auditor from Grande Afrique Consulting, told court that he carried out an audit and established that Crown Converters Limited, the suppliers of scholastic materials lost sh1.6b in a fraudulent transaction.

Testifying as a prosecution witness before Justice Margaret Tibulya, Mwika said he established that Patel Aniket and Taylor Alplesh embezzled sh705,040,995, Aniket and Murali Dhara embezzled sh385,591,208, Patel Laxmikant allegedly stole 149,917,100 and Dave Shailesh allegedly defrauded the company of sh381,551,650.

Mwika testified that the accused would supply scholastic materials to different customers and instruct them to deposit the money on their respective accounts. He tendered the report in court as evidence against the accused.

Mwika said there were no documents to show that the accused banked money on the company's account as required.

Prosecution led by state attorney Barbara Kawuma said Aniket, Laximiknat, Aplesh and Shailesh allegedly conspired between June 2005 and December 2009 at Crown Converters offices in Kampala to steal from the company.

They are charged with embezzlement, forgery, and uttering false document. They denied the charges.

Under the Anti- Corruption Act any person found guilty of embezzlement is liable to imprisonment not exceeding 14 years.

Forgery carries a maximum sentence of seven years and uttering false document carries three years imprisonment.

Prosecution alleges that the fraud was unearthed by one of the managers Go Pal Patel, that money meant for Crown Converters Ltd was illegally transferred  to  private  accounts of the accused.

It is further alleged that police inquiries revealed that a number of resolutions binding the company (Crown Converters) had been changed without the knowledge of other directors.

Prosecution said a separate police investigations also established that the accused stole 1.676,445,058. The case was adjourned to August 4 for hearing.