The Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development is in the final steps of interdicting embattled Equal Opportunities Commission Chairperson Sylvia Ntambi Muwebwa from office.
In a letter issued to the Solicitor General, Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, the Gender Ministry Permanent Secretary Aggrey David Kibenge seeks wise counsel on who is responsible for interdicting Ntambi from office.
Ntambi and the nine employees of the commission face 25 counts of causing financial loss, conspiracy to defraud, embezzlement, corruption, and abuse of office.
“I’m in receipt of a case file ‘Uganda Vs Agnes Enid Kamahoro and 9 others CID Headquarters E/297/2019’ from the Director of Public Prosecutions, bringing to my attention the fact that Ms Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi , the Chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission has been charged at the Anti-Corruption Court with the offences of Conspiracy to defraud (2 counts) and corruption , contrary to section 309 of penal code act and section 2 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009,” Kibenge said in a letter dated 9 November, 2020.
“As your aware , the chairperson and members of the the Equal Opportunities Commission are appointed by H.E the president with approval of Parliament. The appointment is subject to the constitution of the Republic of Uganda, The Equal Opportunities Commission Act , Public Service Act regulations made there under ; Government standing orders and Administrative Instructions issued from time to time.”
Mr Kibenge further revealed that the purpose of the letter was to seek advice from responsible parties on whether or not to proceed to interdict Ms Ntambi based on the advice offered by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
“I the above advice by the DPP stands , to seek your guidance on who is the rightful responsible officer to interdict the officer being an appointee of H.E the President,”he said.
Background:
A whistleblower complaint filed before the President’s Office lifted the lid on the current troubles at the Equal Opportunities Commission, with Ntambi, now facing the charges too.
Ntambi, was in September added to the charge sheet as A10 before the Anti-Corruption Court in the case where nine other officials of the commission have been undergoing trial, charged with defrauding the government of millions of shillings.
She was charged in absentia in the Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday, September 22, 2020.
The Director of Public Prosecutions added Ntambi to the charge sheet that already has Mujuni Mpitsi, the Secretary to the Commission; Olwor Sunday Nicholas, the Undersecretary; Moses Mugabe, a Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and Byangire Harriet, a Senior Accountant. Others are: Edith Kamahoro, a Senior Personal Secretary; Kwesiga Ronnie, an Accounts Assistant; Jjemba Evans, the Principle Compliance Officer; Kwihangana Manasseh, a Senior Compliance Officer and Sarah Nassanga an Office Attendant. All the 9 officials were charged before the same court last month and have been undergoing trial.
According to the charge sheet signed by Jane Frances Abodo, the Director of Public Prosecution, Ntambi, Mugabe, Mpitsi and Jemba conspired to defraud the government of sh35,002,000. The prosecution alleges that the accused claimed the money to undertake an audit exercise of the Rural Electrification Programme in Uganda which activity is said to have not taken place.
It also alleged that Ntambi between July 2018 and April 2019 at the Equal Opportunities Commission offices in Kampala District, as the chairperson, neglected her duty of directing the affairs and administration of the Commission, thereby leading to gross mismanagement of the Commission Funds.
Ntambi who was in October remanded to Kigo Prison was early this month released on bail by the Anti-Corruption Court.
Grade One Magistrate Moses Nabende ordered ordered Ntambi to pay a cash bail of Shs3.5 million before she was released out of prison. He also ordered her to deposit all her travel documents with the court.
Ntambi also deposited her land title of Block 226 plot 541 private land at Kyadondo and each of her three sureties who include Chief executive officer LASPNET Sylvia Namubiru were ordered to execute a non cash bond of Shs44 million.
The case was adjourned to November 24th, for mention as the police conclude with its investigations.
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