DPP orders fresh trial of Kazinda

Kampala- The Director of Public Prosecutions has ordered another trial of Mr Godfrey Kazinda, the jailed former principal accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), before the High Court’s Anti-Corruption Division.

Mr Kazinda is facing fresh charges of causing financial loss of more than Shs20 billion to the government and abuse of more than Shs300m for fuel at the OPM.

He, together with two others had appeared before the trial magistrate, Ms Sarah Langa, yesterday for the hearing of their case after it was adjourned last month for lacking evidence. The State Prosecutor, Ms Barbara Kawuma, also presented committal papers before the Chief Magistrate at the Anti-Corruption Division.

The committal papers that the State intends to rely on state that most of the security papers used to transfer the money had the forged signature of the permanent secretary OPM and genuine signature of Mr Kazinda.

They also state that most of the payments were fraudulent since goods or services were not delivered.

Mr Kazinda is jointly charged with senior economist David Mugisha and principal systems analyst Wilbert Okello both from the Ministry of Finance.

Mr Okello is accused of executing electronic transfer of the said government funds to an undisclosed wrong account contrary to the disbursement

Background

Mr Kazinda has already been sentenced in a previous trial to five years in jail for forgery with intent to steal government money.
Mr Kazinda also is separately indicted with assistant resettlement officer in the Prime Minister’s Office, Ms Beatrice Kezabu, a manager of a fuel station, Mr Hussein Katumwa, and the station proprietor, Ms Shamim Masembe on charges of abusing Shs316 million for fuel facilitation in the Prime Minister’s office.