By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
Nine senior officials from Uganda’s Ministry of Finance have been arrested over a shocking $17M cyber heist that targeted the country’s central bank.
The arrests were effected on Tuesday, 4th February, 2025 with police conducting a search at the residence of one of the suspects, the Accountant General at Ministry of Finance, Lawrence Semakula today, 5th February.
Investigators say hackers infiltrated the Bank of Uganda’s IT systems and executed fraudulent transactions, raising major concerns over security within government institutions.
The money mysteriously disappeared from BOU in September 2024 and ended up in foreign accounts in the United Kingdom (UK) and Asian countries.
Since then, the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) in collaboration with Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS) formerly Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) has been interrogating various individuals from BOU and ministry of Finance.
The CID and DIS probe has zeroed in on nine individuals who orchestrated the hoax payment of a purported contractor and instructed BOU to disburse the money. Others arrested are Jennifer Muhurizi, Mubarak Nansamba, Paul Lumala, Mark Kasuku, Judith Asaba, Deborah Kusiima, Tonny Yawe, and Priscilla Nayebare.
It is not clear what role each of the suspects played in the theft of Shs 60 billion. BOU money heist was first described as a hacker’s handiwork which was later disproved by CID’s. Once CID discovered that it was not hacking but a well-orchestrated fraudulent payment, President Yoweri Museveni directed DIS to join the probe.
By the end of last year, at least 21 staff at BOU, ministry of Finance and the accountant general had been interrogated, and their electronic gadgets including mobile phones and laptops confiscated and subjected to examination.
Through interaction with various sources discovered that out of the Shs 60 billion, BOU was able to recover more than half of it through engaging UK banks. However, BOU was unable to succeed in recovering money that ended in Asian countries.
