EOC boss Sylvia Ntambi remanded to Kigo prison over corruption

The Anti-Corruption Court has remanded the chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi on charges of causing financial loss, embezzlement, corruption, abuse of office, and conspiracy to defraud.

Ntambi was remanded this afternoon by Chief Magistrate Pamela Lamunu to Kigo prison until November 4 when she returns for hearing of her case.

Earlier this month, the court issued criminal summons against Ntambi to appear before it but she failed to show up on three occasions citing sickness as the reason for her non-appearance.

However, drama ensued in court as Ntambi's lawyer, Brian Kabafunzaki was presenting his submission for bail. An unidentified man stood  and raised an objection. He told the court that the accused had previously presented  to the court  forged  medical documents from Medik Hospital claiming that she had been admitted there. He asked the court to punish her but the Police were called in and they escorted the man out of the courtroom.

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.

What is the Equal Opportunities Commission

The Equal Opportunities Commission is a statutory body established by an Act of Parliament to eliminate discrimination and inequalities against any individual or group of persons on the ground of sex, age, race, colour, ethnic origin, tribe, birth, creed or religion, health status, social or economic standing, political opinion or disability, and take affirmative action in favor of groups marginalised based on gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom to redress imbalances which exist against them, and to provide for other related matters.