Equal Opportunities boss Ntambi faces arrest on corruption charges

The chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Silvia Ntambi Muhebwa risks arrest in the event she does not honour criminal summons for the last time.

The Anti-Corruption Court chief magistrate Pamella Lamunu Ochaya sounded the warning today after Ntambi failed to turn up in court for the third time to answer charges of corruption, on grounds of ill health.

"I hereby extend an arrest warrant against Muhebwa for the last time. Should she fail to appear on October 29, a warrant of arrest shall be issued," she warned, after her lawyer MacDosman Kabega represented the accused medical documents from Medik Hospital indicating that she was suffering from hypertension.

Ntambi and the nine employees of the commission 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.