Details have emerged from the Office of Director of Public Prosecutions on why Mrs. Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi the Chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission, is in trouble with the law.
Earlier today, Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema, the head of the Anti-Corruption Unit of State House confirmed that the Chairperson was facing charges of conspiracy to defraud the government, but did not provide details of the charges.
However, CEO East Africa Magazine has obtained exclusive access to a charge sheet, Ref: E/297/2019, dated 16th September, 2020 that shows, Mrs. Ntambi is wanted to answer charges of conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code Act. She is jointly accused with Moses Mugabe, a Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, and Mujuni Mpitsi, the Secretary to the Commission.
According to prosecution, “between 19th November 2018 and 3oth April 2019 conspired to defraud the government of Uganda a sum of Uganda Shillings Thirty-Five Million, Two Thousand (UGX35,002,000). The money was “purportedly for undertaking an audit exercise of Rural Electrification Programme in Uganda” which activity is said not to have taken place.
The Chairperson is also involved in another conspiracy to defraud charge, involving UGX9,480,000. In this particular case, she is jointly charged with Mujuni Mpitsi, Agnes Edith Kamahoro, a Senior Personal Secretary and Olwor Sunday Nicholas, the Commission’s Undersecretary.
“Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi between July 2018 and April 2019 at Equal Opportunities Commission offices in the Kampala District, being employed in the Commission as the Chairperson, neglected her duty of directing the affairs and administration of the Commission, thereby leading to gross mismanagement of the Commission Funds,” reads part of the charges preferred by the Criminal Investigations Department and consented to by Jane Frances Abodo, the Director of Public Prosecutions.
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“The others had already appeared (last year). The charge sheet was amended to include Ntambi,” Ms Okui said, adding that the accused will appear in court on the 30th of September.
“She was not in court. Her lawyer, Counsel Kaggwa Hanan represented her. He said she was on official duty in Mbale and Kumi. The matter was adjourned to 30th September for her to take a plea,” she said.
Senior State Attorney, Harriet Angom is prosecuting the case on behalf of the Office of the DPP while Mrs. Ntambi was represented by Abdul Hannan Kaggwa of Bakkidde & Hannan Advocates. The case is being heard by Chief Magistrate of the Anti-Corruption Court, Her Worship Pamela Lamunu Ocaya.
Other Commission officers charged last year for offenses ranging from embezzlement, abuse of office, and conspiracy to defraud among others, include: Moses Mugabe, a Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer; Byangire Harriet, a Senior Accountant; Kwesiga Ronnie, an Accounts Assistant and Jjemba Evans, the Principal Compliance Officer. Others are Kwihangana Manasseh, a Senior Compliance Officer, and Sarah Nassanga an Office Attendant.
