Clan leader fired over stealing Museveni condolence cash
Apac RDC George Abudul (L) hands over recovered condolence money to Charles Owani's widow and children at his office in Apac District on April 29, 2024. PHOTO/BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
- Initially, Shs10million had been sent by President Museveni but Shs2million went missing.
- The clan speaker has said a decision to relieve the clan leader of his duties is irreversible even after he has returned the money.
A clan leader accused of stealing President Museveni’s condolence cash to the family of deceased Apac National Resistance Movement (NRM) elders' league general secretary, Charles Owani has lost his position.
Members of Okadameri Clan have asked their clan chief (Awitong) Jimmy Anthony Oyuku to vacate his seat over allegedly having a hand in the theft of Shs2million which was part of the Museveni’s Shs10million condolence to the deceased’s family.
Okadameri Clan speaker Joel Patrick Opeto said the Shs2million went missing during the April 10, 2024 burial of Owani at his home in Dulowelo Village, Ololango Parish in Teboke Sub-county.
Opeto said during the burial of the man who died on April 3, Prof William Otim Nape first handed over the money to the accused to keep it before it could be given to the bereaved family the following morning.
“At this point, the clan leader allegedly picked Shs2million purportedly to facilitate persons that helped to lobby the said condolence from State House. On April 12, only Shs8million was handed over to the family,” he.
Martin Okello, the deceased’s elder son, said they reported the matter to the office of the Apac Resident District Commissioner (RDC) George Abudul “to recover the stolen money.”
“We don’t want him (clan leader) to go to jail. We only want him to refund the money,” Okello told Monitor on Sunday.
According to Okello, an April 27 clan meeting at Future Prospects Technical School in Lira City resolved that a “thief cannot be allowed to continue leading Okadameri Clan.”
“The clan resolved that the deputy clan leader should now be the acting Awitong of Okadameri,” he added.
On April 29, 2024, the Apac RDC said he had successfully recovered the Shs2million.
“Yesterday, Awitong sent that money to me via mobile money. Today, I handed over the Shs2million recovered from Oyuku to the widows and children of Owani,” Abudul told this publication.
However, Okadameri Clan speaker Opeto said a decision to relieve the clan leader of his duties is irreversible even after he has returned the money.
Background
Initially, Shs10million had been sent by President Museveni and delivered by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) Legal Officer JB Uhuru.
Awitong picked Shs2million which he claimed was a kickback to support those who aided processing the fund, the RDC explained.
“The Office of the RDC was notified, and immediately the clan chief was apprehended and asked to refund the money,” he explained.
At the time of his death, Owani was general secretary of the NRM elders’ league in Apac Distric
