Equal Opportunities boss Ntambi due in court tomorrow on corruption charges

The chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi is due to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court tomorrow on corruption charges.

Ntambi was summoned last week by the court's chief magistrate, Pamela Lamunu Ocaya to appear before her on September 30 to answer the charges against her. The summons followed the amendment of the charge sheet that already had nine employees of the commission to include Ntambi.

Ntambi and the nine employees face 25 counts of causing financial loss, conspiracy to defraud, embezzlement, corruption, and abuse of office.

Her co-accused are Mujuni Mpitsi, the Secretary to the Commission, Olwor Sunday Nicholas, the undersecretary, Moses Mugabe, a Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, and Byangire Harriet, a Senior Accountant.

Others are Edith Kamahoro, a senior Personal Secretary; Kwesiga Ronnie, an Accounts Assistant; Jjemba Evans, the Principle Compliance Officer, Kwihangana Manasseh, a Senior Compliance Officer, and Sarah Nassanga an Office Attendant.

According to the charge sheet signed by Jane Frances Abodo, the Director of Public Prosecution, Ntambi, Mugabe, Mujuni Mpitsi and Jemba conspired to defraud the government of sh35,002,000. The prosecution alleges that the accused claimed the money to undertake an audit exercise of the Rural Electrification Programme in Uganda which activity is said to have not taken place.

It also alleged that Ntambi between July 2018 and April 2019 at the Equal Opportunities Commission offices in Kampala District, as the chairperson, neglected her duty of directing the affairs and administration of the Commission, thereby leading to gross mismanagement of the Commission Funds.