Post Bank Uganda MD, Mr Stephen Mukweli and six others are facing charges for embezzling huge sums of shillings from the government-owned banking institution. (FILE PHOTO)
KAMPALA – The Managing Director of Post Bank Uganda Limited, Mr Stephen Mukweli and six other officials of the government-owned commercial bank have been charged with defrauding the institution of billions of shillings.
The group, which includes the director for Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Ms Safina Wabuna, Head of Information Technology David Mwesige, Head of business technology Augustine Kisitu and Emmanuel Mwaka, the finance manager, were on Thursday charged before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo, Kampala over alleged abuse of office and causing financial loss to the bank.
The others were the director for credit and business growth, Mr Alex Kayaayo, Mr Fred Samuel Wasike (Head of business growth), Mr Gilbert Nuwamanya (Manager sales) and Mr Jackson Mwesigwa (General manager finance).
The charges emanate from an investigation by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit led by Lt Col. Edith Nakalema. Over a month ago, the unit raided the Bank and retrieved sensitive documents to help in the investigations in the mismanagement of the bank.
Prosecution alleges that Mukweli, Wabuna, Mwesige and Mwesigwa requisitioned, processed, approved and effected payment of UGX2.88 billion to Compulynx Uganda Limited for the supply of E-suit Banking System in total disregard of the payment structure stipulated in the procurement contract.
According to the charge sheet, on December 19 and 21, 2018, Mukweli, Mwesige and Mwaka processed, approved and effected payment of UGX848.5 million to Compulynx Uganda Limited for supply of E-Suit Banking System in disregard of the payment structure stipulated in the procurement contract.
On another charge, Mr Mukweli, Kayaayo, Wasike, Nuwamanya and Mwesigwa were charged with abuse of office and causing financial loss of UGX292m.
In another file, the state alleges that during the month of April 2017, Mukweli and Wabuna in abuse of their authority irregularly varied the sum of contract for conducting information and communication technology test from UGX20.2m to UGX37m in violation of procurement procedures.
It is further alleged that on October 29 2017 at the bank, being employed in their respective positions, Ms Wabuna, Mr Mwesige and Mr Kisitu requisitioned, approved and confirmed availability of additional funding of UGX1.6 billion without the approval of the contracts committee.
However, they denied all the charges before Chief Magistrate Pamela Lamunu Ocaya. They were granted bail and ordered them to deposit their passports in court. They return to court on May 30 for mention of their cases.
The court also issued criminal summons against the Post Bank general manager finance, Mr Jackson Mwesigwa.
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