The Auditor General, John Muwanga, has defended the sacking of senior principal auditor Simon Peter Okitoi, saying he stole sh445m meant to be returned to the Consolidated Fund.

Muwanga's statement, dated February 7, 2013, is contained in his defence filed at the High Court in Kampala. This is in response to a suit filed by Okitoi, on January 28, claiming unfair dismissal.

Muwanga asserts that Okitoi, is not entitled to any compensation as demanded, since he betrayed public trust by misusing his office for personal gain.

"The plaintiff misconducted himself in the said service by dishonestly converting to his own use money which he had received, sh445,125,743 meant for the Consolidated Fund. Therefore, the plaintiff was discharged from service," Muwanga states.

Okitoi claims he was branded a fraudster in 2007, interdicted and fired four years later without being given opportunity to defend himself.

Listed as co-defendant alongside the Auditor General is the Attorney General, Peter Nyombi, who is yet to respond.

Court documents show that Muwanga, in a letter to the Public Service Commission on July 5, 2011, recommended Okitoi's dismissal, saying it be done in the interest of the public