
KAMPALA – The Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development has confirmed that several staff members from the Accountant General’s Office (AGO) have been summoned and detained by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in connection with an ongoing investigation into the disappearance of UGX 60 billion from the Bank of Uganda account in 2024.
According to the ministry, the detained officers are cooperating fully with the investigation, and the ministry is providing its full support to the authorities.
The Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi, assured the public that all services, including those provided by the AGO, are operating normally despite the investigation.
“We wish to assure everyone concerned that all our services, including those provided by the AGO, are operating normally,” Ggoobi said in a statement.
The investigation is related to the diversion of funds meant for debt repayments to the World Bank and African Development Fund. The funds were diverted to two banks in London, UK, and Japan. The Bank of Uganda has since recovered $8.205 million (about Shs30 billion) of the funds, but $6.134m remains unaccounted for.
The CID has arrested nine high-ranking officials, including the Accountant General, Lawrence Semakula, in connection with the disappearance of the funds. The arrests have sent shockwaves through the government and financial sectors, raising concerns about corruption and mismanagement of public funds in Uganda.
The government has pledged to take action against those responsible and to ensure that such incidents do not happen again in the future. The case is expected to be taken to court, where the accused will face charges related to corruption, embezzlement, and mismanagement of public funds.
The outcome of the case will be closely watched by the public and will have significant implications for the government’s efforts to combat corruption and ensure accountability. The incident has also raised questions about the security of Uganda’s financial systems and the need for stronger measures to prevent such incidents in the future.