By Ruth Anderah.
City Layer Bob Kasango has been sentenced to 16 years imprisonment for stealing government funds yet he has never worked for it.
However the former officials of the Ministry of Public service including permanent secretary Jimmy Lwamafa has been handed 9 years, Principle Accountant Christopher Obey is to serve 14 years in prison and commissioner pensions Stephen Kiwanuka Kunsa is 9 years for neglecting their roles by diverting pensioner’s funds.
Each government official is ordered to compensate government 3.4 billion shillings while Kasango is to refund 5 billion shillings.
They are also banned from holding public offices for period of the years each sentenced.
High court Anti-corruption division Judge Margret Tibulya has today found guilty the 3 of conspiring with a city advocate Bob Kasango to steal 15.4 billion shillings that was meant to compensate 6340 entrenched government employees as pension and damages.
According to justice Tibulya, evidence brought to court has proved that the 3 officials in their respective capacities unlawfully paid the 15.4 billion shillings to Kasango’s defunct Law firm of Hall and partners as legal fees claiming it had successfully handled the worker’s case against Government in 1998 whereas not.
According to prosecution, the said money had been budgeted for and releases by the Ministry of Finance to pay the 6340 pensioners and to cater for emoluments of former presidents and their vices but not to pay professional fees of an advocate.
Lwamafa, Obey and Kunsa are already serving jail terms of 7, 5 and ten years at Luzira prison illegally budgeting for NSSF contributions worth 88 billion shillings of government workers well knowing that such a category does not contribute to the fund .
