Court summons Equal opportunities boss over sh245.5m fraud

COURT|CORRUPTION|FRAUD|EMBEZZLEMENT

KAMPALA - Court has issued criminal summons against chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Sylvia Muhebwa Ntambi. The summons require her to appear in court to answer charges of corruption and fraud, without fail.

On Wednesday, AntiCorruption Court Chief Magistrate Pamela Lamunu Ochaya, issued the directive after Muhebwa failed to appear in court to plead to the charges.

"You are hereby commanded by the Government to appear in the Anti-Corruption Court at Kololo on October 7, at 9:00am so that the case can be heard," the magistrate directed.

The summons was prompted by state attorney Edwin Amanya from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), who applied for it, saying Muhebwa is the only suspect that has not taken plea in the matter yet investigations are complete.

"I pray that you summon the accused because investigations are already complete and the matter is scheduled for trial," he requested.

Muhebwa is jointly charged with nine other EOC officials, who are facing 26 counts, including embezzlement, abuse of office and causing financial loss to the Government of sh245.5m.

The offence of corruption attracts a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment on conviction, embezzlement and causing financial loss 14 years, while conspiracy to defraud elicits a three-year jail term.

The rest of the accused persons have since denied the allegations and are out on bail.

Prosecution alleges that Muhebwa neglected her duty of directing the affairs and administration  of the commission, thereby leading to gross mismanagement of the commission funds.

She is alleged to have committed the offences between July 2018 and April 2019 at the EOC offices in Kampala.

Muhebwa's co accused are senior personal secretary Agnes Enid Kamahoro,senior monitoring evaluation  officer Moses Mugabe, secretary to the commission Mujuni Mpitsi, senior accountant Harriet Byangire and accounts assistant Ronnie Kwesiga.

Others are principal compliance officer Evans Jemba, senior compliance officer Manasseh Kwihangana, commission attendant Sarah Nassanga and undersecretary Sunday Nicholas Olwor.

Prosecution alleges that the accused requisitioned, approved and forwarded the said monies for payment, purporting that it was for conducting sensitisation activities in Karamoja and to undertake an audit exercise of the rural electrification programme in Uganda.

The money also, according to prosecution, was meant for developing a draft workplace policy on HIV/AIDS, monitoring exercise sensitisation on equity and rights issues in lower local governments, whereas not. According to prosecution, some of the accused allegedly received millions of shillings on their personal accounts and neglected their duty of accounting for it.