On Friday the Court presided over by Acting Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe granted the officials bail following successful applications from their different lawyers.
In 2012, the Uganda government set up the integrated financial management system--IFMS--and the integrated personnel and payroll system--IPPS--to improve wage and payroll management and stop excesses in government expenditure. The reforms were hastened after scandals in the Office of the Prime Minister OPM and the Ministry of Public Service.
The house agreed with the report that the Secretary to the Treasury Keith Muhakanizi and former Permanent Secretary in the office of the Prime Minister Pius Bigirimana be held accountable for mismanagement of the funds and negligence.
He explains that the bloc will collectively extend funds to Uganda to the tune of Euros 578 million from Euros 439 Million. The money shall be released under the European Development Fund starting this year, 2014 until 2020, Ambassador Schmidt adds.
Attorney General Peter Nyombi has justified the confiscation of the property of Teopista Nanfuka, the mother of Geoffrey Kazinda, the now jailed former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister.
The Uganda Police Force says its morale in investigating corruption cases has been dampened by failure by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions to sanction their files.
The UK’s Daily Mail reported in October last year that Mbabazi had received 10 million Pounds, part of development aid, on his private account. In the now widely publicized scandal in the Office of the Prime Minister, staff are suspected to have diverted the money meant to facilitate post-war recovery programmes in northern Uganda.
The Acting Solicitor General in the letter noted that the constitutional court ruled on the limitation of parliament’s power in a recent case that parliament is not vested with powers under the constitution to order the removal of certain persons from office whose vacation of office is provided for under the constitution.
When the matter came up today before Chief Magistrate Irene Akankwasa, Principal State Attorney Jane Frances Abodo informed court that they have an amended charge sheet but has not been consented to by the DPP since the office is vacant. Currently, the country is without a DPP and the deputy following the recent appointment of Richard Buteera and his deputy, Damalie Lwanga, as Court of Appeal and High Court judges respectively.
Jailed former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Geoffrey Kazinda has appealed against the recent five year jail term handed to him, saying he is unhappy with the sentence.
Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi has defended the continued service of Permanent Secretaries Pius Bigirimana the former PS in the Office of the Prime Minister and now transferred to the Ministry of Gender in the recent reshuffles, Health Ministry PS Asuman Lukwago, PS Dr. Stephen Kagoda for the Internal Affairs Ministry during the Supplementary Budget Schedule 2 Debate.
Local leaders in northern Uganda have reacted angrily to the five-year jail sentence handed to Geoffrey Kazinda, the former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister. But District leaders from Lira, Gulu, Amuru and Agago who spoke to URN described the five-year jail term handed over to Kazinda as an ‘insult’ to the would-be beneficiaries of the stolen money.
The Anti Corruption Court is tomorrow expected to pass its sentence on former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister, Geoffrey Kazinda, following his conviction for fraud related charges a week ago.
The Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo has found the former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) Geoffrey Kazinda guilty. Kazinda appears contrite and begs for forgiveness in court.
Embattled permanent secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister, Pius Bigirimana is among the top civil servants reshuffled in the changes on Thursday night. Bigirimana now moves to the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development ministry, replacing Guwatudde Kintu Christine. Guwatudde now becomes PS in the OPM. The top secretarial positions at the ministries of local government, public service as well as the education service commission remain vacant.
Kadaga said that the Public Accounts Committee report on the financial improprieties in the Office of the Prime Minister has not reached her desk and that she is not aware of the recommendations in that particular report.
Three Ministry of Finance officials have this evening been sent to Luzira by Anti Corruption Court in connection with the diverting over Shs14 billion meant for reconstruction of northern Uganda under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan (PRDP) program.
Former OPM Principal accountant Geoffrey Kazinda faces fresh fharges with three Ministry of Finance officials. They are jointly accused of diverting public resources for personal benefit.
The Association of Chattered Certified Accountants, the global accountants’ body has indicated that it is waiting to subject Godfrey Kazinda, the interdicted Principal Accountant in the OPM, to a disciplinary action once prosecution determines his fate.
The Director of Public Prosecutions in halting the public accounts committee probe into the OPM is an outright interference of Parliaments’ constitutional right.
