By Frank Kamuntu
The State House Anti Corruption Unit together with Police yesterday arraigned the Permanent Secretary -Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa before the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of; Abuse of office, causing financial loss and conspiracy to defraud.
”The PS in abuse of her office irregularly added Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society among those to be paid war loss compensation in the FY 2021/22, yet it was not initially listed,” says the State House Anti Corruption Unit adding;
”She subsequently conspired with others and irregularly made payments of UGX 3.4B meant for the Cooperative to Kirya & Co. Advocates, causing financial loss to the government. She has been remanded and committed to the High Court.”
The others charged with Saali are Igara East MP, Michael Mawanda, Elgon County MP, Mudimi Wamakuyu, and their Busiki County counterpart, Paul Akamba.
The group is jointly charged with Leonard Kavundira, the Principal Cooperative Officer in the Ministry of Trade, and City lawyer, Julius Kirya Taitankoko.
The Court heard that Michael Mawanda, Wamakuyu Mudimi, Paul Akamba, Kirya, Kavundira, and Geraldine Ssali conspired to defraud 3.4 billion shillings that were meant for compensation of Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Limited based in Bulambuli District.
The crimes were allegedly committed between 2019 and 2023.
The prosecution alleges that Michael Mawanda in October 2021, in Kampala diverted public funds amounting to 1.5 billion shillings for purposes unrelated to the intended resources.
Wamakuyu Mudimi and Paul Akamba allegedly diverted 2.3 Billion Shillings and 200 million shillings respectively for their benefit. Julius Kirya Taitankoko allegedly diverted 3.5 billion shillings.
The prosecution further alleges that Julius Kirya Taitankoko received the money in the DFCU Bank account of Kirya and Company Advocates from the Ministry of Trade.
It is further alleged that Julius Kirya Taitankoko transferred money amounting to 911,825, 00 to Rajnish Jain on account number 3200370870 held at Centenary Bank knowing such money to be proceeds of crime.
He reportedly transferred the money to assist Wamakuyu Mudimi who was involved in the conspiracy to defraud 3.4 billion shillings, which generated the proceeds to evade legal consequences of his action.
The Prosecution states that Leonard Kavundira during the financial year 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, abused the authority of his office when he influenced and coerced the Chairperson of Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Limited to abandon their duly appointed Advocates of Angura and Company Advocates and Mungoma and Wakhakha and Company Advocates in favor of Kirya and Co Advocates.
The prosecution further alleges that during the financial year 2021/2022 while employed as the Permanent Secretary and assigned the role of Accounting Officer of the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives, Geraldine Ssali abused her authority by doing an arbitrary act prejudicial to her employer.
According to the State, that was done when she irregularly introduced Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Limited among the cooperatives to be compensated for the war loss by the government of Uganda.
It is alleged that Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society was not listed on the request for the supplementary budget dated August 2021.
Ssali’s action was according to the prosecution, in contravention of the Treasure instructions of 2017 knowing or having reason to believe that such an act would cause financial loss to the government of Uganda.
