By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: The Anti-Corruption court in Kololo on Tuesday 9 July afternoon, read charges related to amassing of questionable by a Uganda Roads Authority engineer Umar Katongole and a Senior Community Development Officer Hawah Ssengendo.
Katongole, a Principal Engineer with the Ministry of Works and Ssengendo, a Senior Community Development Officer with Wobulenzi Town Council in Luweero District were arraigned before the Anti- Corruption grade one Magistrate Moses Nabende and charged with illicit enrichment contrary to section 31(1) (b) and section 31(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.
However, Nabenda did not allow them to say anything.
“This court has no jurisdiction to take your plea since it is a capital offense that can only be heard in the High Court. I have only instructions to read the charges for you, however, you will plead to them before the High Court which also has the jurisdiction to hear your bail application,” Mr. Nabenda said before remanding them until July 24 for the mention of their case.
The state prosecutor told court that investigations into the matter are still ongoing and the magistrate adjourned the matter up to July 24.
It is alleged that in 2015, Mr Katongole being a station engineer at the Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) was in control and possession of property comprised of five untitled plots at Kabowa, Lusaka Zone, Makindye; six others at Ziranumbu whose total value was established to be Shs6.28 billion which was disproportionate to his income, past known sources of income and assets whose sum for duration 2008-2015 was established by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) to be Shs316.8 million.
Between September 3 and 7, 2015 in Kampala, Mr Katongole transferred three plots to Darkins Uganda Limited for purposes of disguising the illicit origin of properties knowing or having reason to believe that such properties are proceeds of crime.
Prosecution also alleged that on August 25, 2015 in Kampala District, Mr Katongole transferred four plots of land at Wakiso to Darkins Uganda Limited for purposes of disguising the illicit origin, knowing or having reason to believe that such properties are proceeds of crime.
On June 27, 2015 at Tropical Bank (Main Branch) in Kampala, Sengendo withdrew Shs380 million from a joint account held with Mr Katongole and transferred it to another account he solely operated in the same bank.
The state alleged that on July 13, 2015, Sengendo deposited a total of Shs466 million to his account for purposes of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of funds having a reasons to believe that the said funds are proceeds of crime.
According to the charge sheet, Ssengendo was estimated to be earning five million shillings per month and totaling to shs300 million in five years which raise eyebrows on how he had acquired shs6.2 billion wealth.
