Local Govt official arrested over sh29m

CORRUPTION    

KAMPALA - The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has arrested a Ministry of Local Government official for causing the taxpayer financial loss to a tune of sh29m.

Moses Byanguye, 46, a senior inspector in the local government ministry was subsequently paraded before the anti-corruption court yesterday to answer charges related to irregular payments and mismanagement of public resources.

The IGG's public and international relations officer, Ali Munira confirmed the development in a statement to the media.

In a charge sheet signed by both the deputy IGG, George Bamugemereire and Brenda Kimbugwe the head of the prosecution unit, Byanguye is accused of irregularly paying out sh4.9m and mismanaging sh23.4m public resources.

"Between the months of February and May 2015, while employed as a senior inspector, ministry of local government, while performing his duties, the accused (Byanguye) irregularly paid sh4.9m to Christopher Magezi, Abdu Mugalu and Charles Namansa with knowledge or reason to believe that this act would cause financial loss," reads part of the charge sheet.

It adds that Byanguye mismanaged sh23.4m meant for capacity building of local government accountability committees on August 25, 2015 and on September 9, 2015, knowingly furnished false accountability for the said money to the undersecretary finance and administration in the local government ministry.