Former PS Kashaka convicted over LCI bicycle scam

The Anti-corruption Court in Kampala has convicted six men, including the former permanent secretary of the Local government ministry, John Muhanguzi Kashaka over LC1 bicycle scam.

Mr Kashaka was on Tuesday afternoon convicted by court presided over by justice Catherine Bamugemereire after he was found guilty for having a hand in the bungled procurement deal of 70,000 bicycles that were meant to be used by village LC1 chairpersons ahead of the 2011 Presidential elections which procurement instead led to government’s loss of over Shs4.6 billion in the raw deal.
Other convicts in this case include; Henry Bamutura (Principal Accountant), Mr Robert Mwebaze (Principal Procurement Officer), Mr Sam Emorut Erongot (Assistant Commissioner Policy and Planning), Mr Timothy Musherure and Mr Adam Aluma.

While delivering her judgment, Ms Bamugemereire said that there was over whelming evidence adduced by the prosecution linking the convicts to the offenses which amounted to abuse of office. Their sentence will be delivered on July 17.

Mr Kashaka and his co-convicts stand to be jailed up to 7 years and 14 years for causing financial loss.

Mr Kashaka along with Mr Bamutura were charged with abuse of their offices when they allegedly signed a final contract with the bicycle supply firm Amman Industrial Tools and Equipment Ltd (Aitel) for delivery of 70,000 bicycles, without contacting and approval of the Contracts Committee.
About Shs4.6 billion is alleged to have been paid to the supply firm but no single bicycle has been delivered to date.

Prosecution led by Ms Jane Abodo argued that Bank of Uganda warned Mr Kashaka about the discrepancies in the contract but he ignored and signed it, an act that led to the loss of over Shs4.2 billion to government.