By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The Under Secretary Office of the Prime Minister who has been on the run has finally turned himself to the Anti-Corruption Court, Kololo.
Geoffrey Sseremba handed himself over to the court yesterday, 21st June, 2023.
Sseremba is accused by the Inspectorate of Government of causing financial loss to government by approving Shs4.4 billion to various OPM staff without a proper work plan.
Sseremba is indicted together with six other officials within the same Ministry that include; Masigazi Deogratious(Head of Department Pacification and Development), Mr. Abaho Joshua (Senior Assistant Secretary), Ms. Asasira Barbara(Principal Assistant Secretary), Mr. Tonny Ameny Emmy(Assistant Commissioner Programs), Mr. Peter Amodoi(Programme Officer) and Mr. Samuel Ofungi (Senior Assistant Secretary).
The six were arrested and arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court on Wednesday 14th June, 2023.
According to the IGG, the 7 officials distributed the Shs4.497,132,000 billion shillings amongst themselves in the guise of coordinating various Peace Building Initiatives in Karamoja region.
Sseremba and Masigazi are accused of approving the cash payments to several staff of the OPM without any proper work plan nor genuine activities.
Out of the Shs4.497,132,000 billion shillings, the officials were only able to account for Shs1,149,641,000 billions having feasted on Shs3,347,491,000billion.
The Breakdown:
Abaho Joshua was between February and June 2022 advanced Shs 2,473,154,000 billion purportedly for coordinating various Peace Building Initiatives in Karamoja region. Abaho could not account for this money as there was no activity that conducted.
Asasira Barbara between April and June 2022 received Shs522,926,000 million purportedly for coordinating various Peace Building Initiatives in Karamoja region. She carried out no single activity and therefore caused financial loss of the same amount of money to government.
Emmy Tonny Ameny in June 2022 received Shs225,550,000 million also for purposes of coordinating various Peace Building Initiatives in Karamoja region. in Karamoja region. The IGG says, Ameny never conducted any activity and swindled all the money he was advanced.
Amodoi Peter between March and June 2022 received 308,275,000 million shillings for the same Karamoja Peace Building Initiatives but only accounted for Shs90,767,842 million embezzling the remaining 217,507,158 million shillings.
Ofungi Samuel between March and June 2022 received Shs69,298,000 but failed to account for Shs25,473,000 which the IGG says Ofungi stole.
As a result charges of Abuse of Office contrary to Sections 11(i) and 2 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009 as amended and Embezzlement contrary to Section 19(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009 as amended were slapped on them.
The six excluding Sseremba who was on the run were remanded to Luzira Maximum Security Prison until the 16th of June when they reappeared before court and were granted bail.
