The chairperson of the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Ms Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi has been granted a cash bail of Shs3.5 million and directed her to deposit her passport in court to regulate her movements abroad.
Ms Ntambi on Wednesday appeared in Anti-corruption Court presided over by Grade One Magistrate, Mr Moses Mushabe Nabende for bail hearing after spending about a week in prison over charges of corruption and fraud.
Ms Ntambi through his lawyer Macdosman Kabega presented three sureties who are Civil Society workers; Patricia Nambi of Forum for Women in Development; Executive Director of CSBAG Mr Julius Mukunda and Dr Sylvia Namubiru, the executive director of Legal Aid Service Network.
“This court finds the sureties presented substantial and the state has no objection. Each of the three sureties shall execute a bond of Shs40m not cash,” ordered Mr Nabende before extending the case to November 24 for mention. He also ordered Ms Ntambi to deposit her land title in court.
Ms Ntambi was remanded last week after her sureties failed to present documents in proof of their employment status.
Prosecution
Prosecution contends that between July 2018 and April 2019 at EOC offices in Kampala, Ms Ntambi being the chairperson of the commission, neglected her duty of directing the affairs and administration of the commission thereby leading to gross mismanagement of the commission funds.
Ms Ntambi is jointly accused with nine other former employees of the commission who were interdicted after they were charged last year and were released on bail pending trial.
The nine suspects include; former senior personal secretary to the chairperson, Ms Agnes Enid Kamahoro, Moses Mugabe (senior monitoring evaluation officer), Harriet Byangire (senior accountant), Ronnie Kwesiga (Acting accounts assistant), Evans Jjemba (Principal Compliance officer), Manasseh Kwihangana (senior compliance officer), Sarah Nassanga (office attendant) and Sunday Nicholas Olwor.
It is alleged that between November 2018 and April 2019 at EOC offices in Kampala District, Mugabe, Mujuni, Jjemba, and Ntambi being employed in the commission in their respective positions conspired to defraud the government of Shs35 million and more than Shs9.4 million between January and April 2019.
Prosecution alleges that between November 2018 and April 2019, Mugabe stole Shs29m and Shs14.5m which belonged to EOC.
The state also accuses Mugabe and Jjemba of stealing Shs5.7 million, the property of EOC.
According to prosecution, in November 2018 at EOC offices, Mujuni being the secretary to the commission approved payment of Shs35m purportedly for undertaking an audit exercise of Rural Electrification Programme in Uganda which caused financial loss to the government.
Prosecution alleges that in December 2018, Kamahoro, Mujuni and Olwor, abused their respective offices when they fraudulently processed, requisitioned, approved, and forwarded for payment of Shs19 million purportedly for development.
According to prosecution, between January 24 and April 2019, Ms Kamahoro and Ms Nassanga stole more than Shs13million and Ms Nassanga alone another Shs13 million from EOC.
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Daily Monitor