EOC boss committed to High Court to stand trial

COURT|CORRUPTION|CRIME

KAMPALA - The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Chairperson, Sylvia Muweebwa Ntambi, accused of defrauding the government of sh44.5m has been committed to the High Court for trial. 

Ntambi, battling charges of conspiracy to defraud and corruption, was on Tuesday (November 24, 2020) committed after the state prosecutor Harriet Angom informed the court that investigations were complete.

This prompted the Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Pamella Lamunu to commit the accused to High Court for trial.

"Since investigations on the matter are complete. I hereby commit you to the Anti-Corruption Division of High Court for trial," Lamunu ruled.

Angom, from the office of DPP says they will present evidence pinning the accused of the crime.

Ntambi, currently on sh3.5m cash bail 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.