Police hunt for former UBC boss over Shs3.6 billion scam
A file photo of Mr Paul Kihika, the former UBC managing director while appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises. PHOTO BY ERIC DOMINIC BUKENYA
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Police are also investigating the role of Mr Walter Osinde, the UBC Internal Auditor, and Stephen Rupiha, the former UBC marketing manager in the deal
Mr Tumusiime is said to have secured the deal and sought a commission from the payments yet he was a permanent worker at UBC
KAMPALA- Detectives are hunting for the former Uganda Broadcasting Corporation Managing Director, Mr Paul Kihika after his failure to honour their summons a fortnight ago.
Mr Kihika and seven others are being investigated for corruption allegations in connection to a Shs3.6 billion Uganda Broadcasting Corporation-Airtel sponsorship deal to air the 2014 Fifa World Cup matches.
Mr Vincent Ssekate, the spokesman of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, said Mr Kihika failed to respond to their summons and hasn’t made any communication to explain why he didn’t appear at CID.
“Detectives have been ordered to look for him with the aim of arresting him because the case that is being investigated involves a lot of money and he has refused to cooperate with the police,” Mr Ssekate said on Tuesday.
Section 23 of the Police Act empowers the police officer to arrest with or without a warrant a person he or she suspects to have committed a crime.
Police are also investigating the role of Mr Walter Osinde, the UBC Internal Auditor, and Stephen Rupiha, the former UBC marketing manager in the deal.
Detectives have recorded statements from Mr Walter Osinde, the UBC Internal Auditor, and Stephen Rupiha, the former UBC marketing manager, Patrick Kateba, UBC former finance manager, Eng. Angello Nkeza, the former acting UBC managing director, Emmanuel Tumusiime, former UBC sales executive, Mr Cleophus Kizza, a former UBC freelancer, and Mr Edison Asiimwe, a former UBC worker.
They were all released on police bond.
Police are investigating allegations of embezzlement, abuse of office, false accounting, causing financial loss and conspiracy to commit a felony against the official while executing a UBC-Airtel deal between 2013 and 2014.
The case stems from alleged embezzlement of partial payments sent by Airtel, a telecom company, to UBC accounts to sponsor the Fifa World Cup matches in Brazil.
Mr Tumusiime is said to have secured the deal and sought a commission from the payments yet he was a permanent worker at UBC.
It is also alleged that Mr Kihika and Mr Nkeza allowed the transfer of money that was meant for the World Cup sponsorship to different accounts which was irregular.
Mr Kizza, who was a freelancer, is said to have benefitted from the paid funds yet his contribution was unclear.
UBC, a public broadcaster, has had a string of scandals ranging from financial mismanagement, illegal sale of property and embezzlement. The scandals have led to the sacking of two of their top managers in just five years.
