EOC boss gets bail
Ntambi, who is battling charges of conspiracy to defraud and corruption, was released on a cash bail of sh3.5m after the court ruled that her sureties are substantial.
COURT|CORRUPTION|FRAUD
KAMPALA - The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) chairperson, Sylvia Muweebwa Ntambi, accused of defrauding the government of sh44.5m has been released on bail after spending a week on remand at Kigo Prison.
Ntambi, who is battling charges of conspiracy to defraud and corruption, was released on a cash bail of sh3.5m after the court ruled that her sureties are substantial.
However, the three sureties were each directed to execute a non-cash bond of sh40m.
They are Patricia Munabi, the executive director at Forum for Women in Democracy, Julius Mukunda, the executive director of Civil Society Budget Advocacy Group, and Dr. Sylvia Namubiru Mukasa, the LASPNET chief executive officer.
"I am persuaded to grant the accused bail since the sureties have presented in court their employment documents," the Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Pamela Lamunu ruled.
The magistrate also directed the accused to deposit in court a passport to regulate her travel abroad and a title for land at Mengo in Kampala.
Grade One Magistrate Moses Nabende yesterday delivered his bosses' bail ruling through video-conferencing at the Criminal Division of the High Court in Kampala.
He delivered the ruling in the presence of the accused's lawyer, MacDosman Kabega and Senior State Attorney, Harriet Angom from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Last week, Angom informed court that investigations in the matter are complete and submitted in court summary of the case for purposes of committing the accused to the high court for trial.
Ntambi is jointly charged with Moses Mugabe, 38, the senior monitoring and evaluation officer, Mpitsi Mujuni, 49, the secretary, Evans Jjemba, 35, the principal compliance officer and Agnes Enid Kamahoro, 48, senior personal secretary.
Others are Nicholas Olwor, 51, the undersecretary, Harriet Byangire, the senior accountant, Ronnie Kwesiga, the accounts assistant, Manasseh Kwihangana, the senior compliance officer and Sarah Nassanga, the commission attendant.
Allegations
Ntambi is accused of neglecting her duty of directing the affairs and administration of the commission, thereby leading to gross mismanagement of the commission funds worth sh245.5m.
Ntambi also allegedly conspired with EOC employees to defraud the Government of sh44.5m. She allegedly committed the offences between July 2018 and April 2019 at the EOC offices in Kampala.
According to prosecution, the accused requisitioned, approved and forwarded the 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 the prosecution, some of the accused allegedly received millions of shillings on their accounts and neglected their duty of accounting for it.
The case resumes on November 24, 2020.