KAMPALA – A gardener at the State House of Uganda Nakasero has been remanded for alleged theft of sh30 million that was meant to buy food for State House employees.
Ismail Kivumbi, 37, was on Wednesday afternoon arraigned before the Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate Marion Mangeni who read to him the said charge.
Detectives attached to State House Anti-Corruption Unit arrested Kivumbi on Sunday last week as he was reportedly trying to flee the country at the Entebbe International Airport.
Court heard that on February 25th 2021 at Nakasero in Kampala District, Kivumbi stole sh30 million which was a property of the government of Uganda.
Kivumbi however denied the charge and asked to be released on bail on grounds that he has been in custody for close to two weeks without being produced in court.
It did not help that he had two sureties who had come to court without identification documents and local council letters which are the key requirements for one to be considered as a substantial surety.
As such, the magistrate remanded Kivumbi to Kitalya government prison until April 6th 2021.
The State Attorney Ivan Kyazze informed court that investigations into this matter were still ongoing.
Kivumbi was arrested on Sunday last week according to sources at the State House Anti-Corruption Unit whose operatives effected his arrest.
The sources revealed that Kivumbi who joined State House many years ago as a Gardener was later elevated to the Catering department of the State House Nakasero branch.
As such, they would give him 30 million shillings to buy food for State House employees at Nakasero and Okello House food which was meant to last the entire week.
However, Kivumbi on the week of February 25, allegedly went to various food suppliers and instead of paying cash, he asked to be given food on credit such that the government can pay later after all, he was always buying from them with cash. Failing to pay, the source said that the suppliers allegedly started going to the State House to complain.
