By Wetondo Denis Julius
MBALE
Barely a week after the Speaker of Bamasaaba Cultural Institution organised an election in which a new Cultural leader was elected, the incumbent has now accused the Speaker of embezzling Shs14 million.
Geoffrey Wepondi, the General Secretary of the Bamasaba Cultural Institution while speaking to this reporter this morning, the Speaker, Mr. Nelson Wedayila embezzled the money in 2018.
The money was allegedly meant for organising the circumcision launch in 2018.
According to Wepondi, during the launch of Circumcision ceremony at Mutoto cultural site in 2018, Mbale district local government donated 5 million shillings, Sironko also 5 million and Bududa 4 million shillings totalling to 14 million to help the institution run the Imbalu launch activities.
He alleges that Wedayila was entrusted by the institution to withdraw the money from DFU bank and use part of it to buy animals they were going to slaughter and doing other duties during the function.
Wepondi also said Wedayila withdrew the money but used it for his personal activities.
That however after being asked by the Cultural Council, he pleaded guilty and promised to refund the money after the ceremony which he has not done up to date.
Mathias Nabuteri, the Deputy Prime Minister of Bamasaba cultural institution has given Wedayila one week to refund the money or else he will face arrest.
However Wedayila when contacted refuted the claims saying the Mushikori group is only trying to create ways of intimidating him.
He accuses them of putting false allegations against him with the aim of him leaving the issues of demanding Bob Mushikori to leave office and hand over to Mike Mudoma the newly elected Umkhukha.
“It’s the Umkhukha, Prime Minister and General Secretary who are signatories to the institution’s account, how comes i was sent to withdraw money? And where have they been in all these three years to demand the money before coming now?” Wedayila asked.
