The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has remanded two engineers from Ntungamo District on charges of diverting public resources, causing financial loss, and false accounting involving more than 263 million Shillings. The suspects are Fred Mwima, the Assistant Engineering Officer, and Moses Twine, the Assistant Engineering Officer/Force Accounts Manager of Ntungamo district.
The duo appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court Grade One Magistrate Opit Christopher on Thursday who read for them seven counts. The court heard that Mwima and Atwine, along with the Ntungamo Chief Administrative Officer Nasser Mukiibi, who is still at large used their respective offices to divert funds by depositing them into different fuel companies for their personal benefit.
The money in question was meant for mechanized maintenance of various roads within the district. According to the breakdown, the accused persons diverted fuel worth 60.5 million Shillings, which was deposited with Vivo Energy Uganda Limited (Shell Ntungamo) and intended for Kagarama Rukarango Rwamabondo road.
The prosecution alleges that of the diverted fuel funds, the accused individuals deposited 88 million Shillings in different installments with Total Uganda Limited in Ntungamo Branch, intended for mechanized maintenance of Nyarwambu Karubuga Omukarere Kashambya Road.
The alleged crime took place between August and November 2021, February and March 2022, and May and June 2022. The suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges against them. The Prosecution, led by the Supervisor of Prosecutions, Rogers Kinobe, and Inspectorate Officer, Angela Tusiime from the Inspectorate of Government informed the Court that investigations into this matter are still ongoing.
They requested a criminal summons for Mukiibi, who is still at large. The court granted these requests, and the case was adjourned to September 18, 2023. In the meantime, Atwine and Mwima have been remanded to Luzira Prison as investigations continue.
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