Anne Mugisa,Charles Ariko and Edward Anyoli
16 July 2007
Kampala — THE Inspector General of Government yesterday brought additional charges against the suspects in the immunisation funds scandal and named new prosecutors, causing the trial of the three former health ministers and a State House employee to be adjourned to October.
In the new charge sheet, former state health minister Dr. Alex Kamugisha is accused of causing financial loss to the Government by giving travel allowances to 57 MPs for carrying out mobilisation work in their constituencies, money which the IGG said was not accounted for.
"Dr. Alex Kamugisha on or about February 17, 2005 received the sum of sh11.4m from the GAVI account of the Ministry of Health at Citibank Uganda for the facilitation of travel for 57 MPs without ensuring that the MPs accounted for the money," states count eight of the amended charge sheet, read by the trial magistrate, Margaret Tibulya.
In an alternative count eight, it leaves open the possibility that the MPs never received the money. Kamugisha, it alleges, "obtained the sum of sh11.4m by falsely pretending that it was to be used for facilitation of travel of 57 MPs who were to carry out mobilisation work, whereas not."
Two new charges are also slapped on former private secretary of President Yoweri Museveni, Alice Kaboyo. These include forgery, or alternatively uttering false documents, of over 20 receipts, invoices and delivery notes from different suppliers.
The companies named include Ocean Publishers and Ocean Investments, both on Plot 45 Nkrumah Road, Masaba Top Motel in Mbale, Rwenzori Travellers Inn in Fort Portal, Mwebaza Inn in Mukono, SINBA Telecom on Plot 50 Kampala Road and Wiro Stationers on Plot 21/23 Nasser Road.
However, when checked by The New Vision, Allied Modern Stationers occupies plots 21/23 of Nasser Road, not Wiro Stationers. Plot 45 on Nkrumah Road is non-existent, and Simba Telecom - not Sinba - occupies Plot 50 on Kampala Road.
The high profile trial was adjourned to October 29 because the new prosecutors who took over from Lillian Mwandha, Sydney Asubo and Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Michael Wamasebu, said they needed more time to study the evidence.
Kamugisha and Kaboyo together with two other former health ministers, Jim Muhwezi and Mike Mukula, are on trial over sh1.6b immunisation funds which were not accounted for. The money is from the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI).
The four suspects denied all the charges. Their lawyers protested the request for an adjournment when the trial had been set to run from July 16 to July 31. The lawyers said they were ready for the trial, accusing the IGG of trying to delay the case.
Muhwezi faces two counts of abuse of office, one of causing financial loss, one of embezzlement and another of theft. Mukula is accused of abuse of office and embezzlement, while Kamugisha is accused of causing financial loss, obtaining money by false pretences and abuse of office. Kaboyo faces charges of abuse of office, theft, forgery, uttering false documents.
Embezzlement and causing financial loss carry a maximum of 14 years imprisonment each on conviction. Theft, forgery and uttering false documents carry a maximum of 10 years imprisonment each, while abuse of office carries a maximum of seven years imprisonment.
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