Court extends criminal summons against Equal Opportunities boss Ntambi

The Anti- Corruption Court has extended criminal summons against the chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission, Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi who is facing corruption charges.

The court's chief magistrate, Pamela Lamunu Ocaya extended the summons to October 7 following a request for an extension by prosecutor Harriet Ongom after Ntambi failed to appear before the court. Ntambi was due to appear before the court today together with nine other employees of the commission.

Ntambi and her staff are facing 25 counts of causing financial loss, conspiracy to defraud, embezzlement, corruption, and abuse of office.

He 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.