Man Jose Kayima
Seven officials from the Office of the Prime Minister have been arrested over loss of Shs4.5b Karamoja peace initiative money.
Geoffrey Sseremba (Undersecretary/ Accounting Officer), Deogratious Masigazi (Undersecretary/ Head of Department Pacification and Development Programme), Joshua Abaho (Senior Assistant Secretary OPM) and Barbra Asasira (Principal Assistant Commissioner Programmes) are some of the suspects.
Others are Emmy Tonny Ameny (Assistant Commissioner -Programmes), Peter Amodoi (Programmme Officer OPM), and Samuel Ofungi (Senior Assistant Secretary OPM).
Prosecution further states that the two abused office when they arbitrary approved a total cash payment of Shs4.5 billion to various staff within OPM without following guidelines, acts which were prejudicial to their interests of their employers.
In count three, the prosecution said Mr Abaho while employed as senior assistant secretary, OPM, stole Shs2.4 billion, advanced to him for coordinating various peace building in Karamoja region, to which he had accessed by virtue of his office. Mr Abaho is also accused of abuse of office.
Prosecution further said Asasira between April and June, 2022 while employed as Principal Assistant Secretary, OPM, received a total cash payment of Shs538,526,000 to coordinate various peace building initiatives in Karamoja region, which activity she never conducted and thus, failed yo account for the same, an arbitrary act prejudicial to the interest of his employer.
Emmy Tonny Ameny in June 2022 while employed as assistant commissioner Programme, OPM, stole Shs 225, 550,000, advanced to him for coordinating various peace building initiatives in Karamoja region, tow which he accessed by virtue of his office. He’s also accused of abuse of office.
Amodoi is accused of receiving Shs308 million between February and June 2022 to coordinate various peace building initiatives in Karamoja region, which activity he never conducted and thus, failed to account for Shs217 million, an arbitrary act prejudicial to the interest of his employer.
Ofungi between March and June 2022 while employed as senior assistant secretary, OPM, stole Shs25, 473,000, advanced to him for coordinating various peace building initiatives in Karamoja region, to which he accessed by virtue of his office.
The suspects appeared before Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe who has read the charges to them. They have all denied the charges against them. Most of the information courtesy of the Daily Monitor
