KAMPALA – The former Permanent Secretary to Ministry of Education, Dr Rose Nassali Lukwago has this evening been arraigned before the Anti-Corruption court and charged with abuse of office and causing financial loss of about UGX30million.
Dr Lukwago who is currently working with the Judicial Service Commission as the Secretary has been charged alongside Dr S. Opio Okiror , Commissioner Health Services Human Resource Management of Ministry of Health, Mr Cuthbert Kagabo the Deputy Director AH Consulting Limited.
The group appeared before the Chief Magistrate Pamela Lamunu where they denied all charges that state slapped against them.
Court has granted them a cash bail of UGX 3 million while their sureties a bond of UGX20million not cash.
However court has issued criminal summons against Mr Jaffer Kawooya the Internal Auditor Ministry of Public Service who has not appeared in court.
The state alleges that during the financial year, 2014/2015, at the headquarters of Ministry of Education and Sports in Kampala, in performance of their duties using the offices the group unlawfully facilitated an over payment to AH Consulting Limited well knowing that their acts would cause government UGX33.8 million.
However, Dr Lukwago separately faces a charge of abuse of office together with Dr Okiror.
The Prosecution alleges that in August 2014, Dr Lukwago the then accounting officer at MoES, did an abuse of the authority of her office an arbitrary act of contracting AH Consulting limited to recruit five technical staff to work for the ADB V Hest project. Dr Lukwago was reportedly aware that the required five technical staff had been recruited already which act was prejudicial to the interests of the government.
Prosecution states that Dr Okiror was the contract manager of the ADB V Heat Project. He allegedly failed to ensure that AH Consulting limited performed all the terms of the contract to recruit the staff for the said project, in line with the Public Procurement laws.
Through their lawyer Mr Jimmy Muyanja while applying for bail stated that it is their constitutional right to apply for bail , the charges against them are bailable among others.
However the State Prosecutors Hassan Walusimbi and Phillip Muuu had objected to their bail application urging that it would be difficult to trace the accused persons since their sureties did not have introductory letters.
They also stated that the bond should be equal to the money they reportedly caused government loss of , in case court is pleased to allow their application.
The case has been adjourned to September 10 for mention .
