State House Unit Arrests More Mbarara Officials Over Corruption

By Wilson Kakuru On Mar 6, 2019 1,492 0

Two Senior Officials of Mbarara Municipality; Town Clerk, Edward Lwanga (right) and his Treasurer, Richard Karere, arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit Team led by Israel Ochom over allegations of corruption. PHOTO BY PPU/ENOCK KAKANDE

The Criminal Investigations Department Police in Kampala is holding two other senior government officials from Mbarara Municipality on alleged corruption. One official, however, has been summoned to help the Police with further investigations over allegations of corruption.

The officers, who have been picked from Mbarara, include the Town Clerk of Mbarara, Edward Lwanga and his Treasurer, Richard Kerere.

The Commercial Officer, Agaba James, who was not present, has been summoned to appear before the Police over issues related to Mbarara Shopping Market.

The exercise was carried out during a follow up the investigative visit to Mbarara District by the Anti-Corruption Unit team of State House, led by a Senior Official of the Unit, Israel Ochom. The 2 district officials were handed over to the CID Police Officers, led by Inspector of Police, Mr. Bernard Ochaya.

“We are on a follow-up visit to Mbarara to fill up gaps that emerged from our recent visit. We are also in Mbarara following new accusations by whistleblowers who have made numerous reports to our office. Some of the new accusations are how Shs.90 million was spent on alleged capacity building, street lighting, and Mbarara Shopping Market, among others,” he informed Mbarara leaders at the Municipal Council Chambers.

In the recent investigative visit to the District, the team that was led by Head of the Unit, Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema found out that accountability of funds by district officials was unclear prompting the hand over of the officials to CID Police for further investigations. Some of those officials, including the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Alfred Esoku, have been charged in court on various corruption-related offenses.

Those picked yesterday, Town Clerk Edward Lwanga and Treasurer Richard Kerere, being Accounting Officers are expected to help the Police in the area of accountability of the Municipality funds. The Commercial Officer, Agaba James, has been summoned to explain circumstances that led him to plan the levying of over Shs.500,000/= per trader in the Shopping Market project allegedly for the renovation of the facility.