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The money was sent to Lira Municipality account during 2017/2018 and 2018 and 2019 financial years respectively.
It was meant to cater for the payment of Ex Gratia for about 70 local councilors from all the four Divisions of Adyel, Ojwina, Railways and Central.
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Police in Lira District are investigating circumstances under
which more than Shs39 million meant for the local councilors Ex Gratia
payment went missing.
The money was reportedly sent to Lira Municipality account during the 2017/2018
and 2018/ 2019 financial years respectively. It was meant to cater for payment of Ex Gratia for about 70
local councilors from all the four divisions of Adyel, Ojwina, Railways and
Central.
The investigation follows last week’s protest by the councilors
at Lira Municipality demanding for their payment.
On Monday, Lira Municipal Mayor Mike Ogwang Olwa was made to
record a statement after hours of interrogation by the economic crime detectives
at Lira CPS. SP George Obia, the Lira District Police Commander says the investigation
is to establish what could have happened to the funds.
DPC Obia says they are yet to get statements from various key
officials at Lira Municipal including the Town Clerk, Samuel Ahabwe among others.
Milton Odongo, the Lira Resident District Commissioner says he
ordered for the investigation after realizing that no Municipal official was
willing ready to disclose details about the money.
Geoffrey Omara Okello, the chairperson of the affected councilors
welcomed the on-going investigations. Omara insists they should be paid their Ex Gratia using money
from other sources by the municipal authority.
Town Clerk Ahabwe last week said the money was sent to the municipal
when he was not yet the accounting officer and therefore the mater must be
investigated by the police.
He confirmed that he is not aware of what could have happened to
the money that was sent to the Municipal account by the Finance Ministry.
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About 75 Division Councilors last Thursday staged a demonstration
protesting nonpayment of their Ex Gratia for over five quarters.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni directed the
Finance, Planning and Economic Development Ministry to pay the parish councilors
Ex Gratia following complaints of the meager sitting allowances and lack of
funds to execute their monitoring roles.
