By Our Reporter
Four Bank of Uganda security officers were today put on oath by Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) which is probing the central bank’s top officials over the irregular closure of seven commercial banks in the country.
The four officials including Ms Justine Bagyenda’s bodyguard, the former executive director of supervision at BoU, are expected to give more details of how Bagyenda was able to move documents out of the Bank without being checked.
However, Bagyenda’s aide Juliet caused drama in parliament, saying standing orders of the police do not permit her to appear before a committee or any other related organ. She was over ruled by Committee Chairman Abdu Katuntu who said standing orders of the police force are subject to the Constitution of the Republic of Uganda. She would later take the oath.
The security officers were asked to give their testimonies to a subcommittee, Katuntu reasoning that it is not good idea to discuss security issues of BoU on camera.
BoU director of security Milton Opio on Tuesday told the MPs that the former executive director in charge of supervision Justine Bagyenda facilitated the theft of documents from the central bank.
Opio said that their CCTV camera’s captured Bagyenda’s personal aide (Juliet) smuggling bags of documents from the central bank on February 10, 2018. Mr. Opio made the revelation under the directive of BoU governor Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile, who had been tasked to explain whether the central bank had any case of stolen documents.
The documents were carried by Juliet who loaded them in her boss’s car and they drove off to unknown place. She would later return some of the documents on March 14, 2018.
Bagyenda is currently out of the country and the committee expects her to appear before it tomorrow without fail or an arrest warrant will be issued against her. She is believed to have taken out some of the BoU documents and keeping them. They relate to the liquidation of the banks like; Greenland Bank, International Credit Bank, Cooperative Bank, Crane Bank Limited, Teefe Trust Bank, Global Trust Bank Uganda.
