Equal Opportunities Commission Boss, Nine Others Committed to High Court on Corruption Charges

Nine officials from the Equal Opportunities Commission including Chairperson Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi have been committed to the High Court for trial on charges of Corruption, Abuse of Office, Embezzlement, Neglect of Duty, Conspiracy to Defraud and Causing Financial Loss of Shs. 245.5M to Government.

State Attorney Harriet Angom has informed the Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Pamella Lamunu Ochaya that investigations in this case are complete and that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) has decided that all the accused persons be prosecuted in the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court.

The evidence the State intends to lead against the accused officials indicates that they conspired and requisitioned, approved and forwarded the said monies for payment purporting that it was going to conduct sensitization activities in Karamoja Sub Region.

They also purported that the money would be used to undertake an audit exercise of rural electrification programme in Uganda, for development  of 1 and 2 draft Commission HIV/AIDS work place policy,  for monitoring exercise in Lower Local Government and for senstization on equity and rights issues in Lower Local Government whereas not and which action they knew would cause financial loss to the Government.

Prosecution further intends to present evidence to prove that the accused officials received millions of money on their personal accounts but neglected their duty to account for it.

They are said to have committed the offence between July 2018 and April 2019 while in performance of their duties at the Equal Opportunities Commission offices in Kampala.

Muwebwa is specifically accused of having neglected her duty of directing the affairs and administration of the Commission thereby leading to the gross mismanagement of the commission funds.

The other accused officials include Olwor Sunday Nicholas the Under-Secretary, Agnes Enid Kamahoro the Senior Personal Secretary, Mujuni Mpitsi the Secretary to the Commission, Byangire Harriet the Senior Accountant, Kwesiga Ronnie the Accounts Assistant, Jemba Evans the Principle Compliance Officer, Kwihangana Manasseh the Senior Compliance Officer and Sarah Nassanga the Commission Attendant.

The accused persons are out on bail and  mantain they know nothing about the charges before Court.