Eight officials arrested as State House probes BoU
BoU Governor, Mr Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile
KAMPALA- At least eight government officials have been arrested and detained as the State House Anti-Corruption Unit investigates Bank of Uganda officials in connection with procurement of classified items, senior officials have revealed.
The Executive Director of the government Media Centre, Mr Ofwono Opondo said in an interview with NBS Television that those arrested include directors in charge of currency, procurement as well as security.
Others arrested are customs officials, airport police officers, Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) staff among others.
“We are inquiring why the BoU officials who were using a chartered plane had to go through the normal procedure,” wondered Mr Opondo.
Although sources talked of extra currency printed without authority, Mr Opondo dismissed reports as rumours and announced that more people will be summoned to explain what happened.
Mr Opondo told the NBS Television in an exclusive interview on Friday that there are persons and international organizations of interest to the investigation but have not been accused of any crime formally.
He named private businessmen, Mr Charles Mbire and Mr Omar Mandela of Mandela Millers and City Oil as well as UN and USAID as some of the people and organisations that had goods on a government chartered plane.
“Immediately, Lt Col Edith Nakalema and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) director, Mr Grace Akullo received a request, they could not move until they briefed the president [Mr Yoweri Museveni] who have them a go ahead,” he said.
According to Mr Opondo, the accused persons were arrested during a joint security operation mounted by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit headed by Lt. Col Nakalema and operatives from CID.
Lt Col Nakalema said in a statement that the Anti-Corruption Unit acting under Article 94(4) of the Constitution in liaison with CID acting under Article 120 (3) (a) and in conjunction of the Bank of Uganda, is carrying out a special investigation on a matter pertaining to the bank’s procurement and supply chain activities.
“This investigation is being carried out following an invitation by the Governor of the Bank of Uganda and in close cooperation with the governor’s office,” Lt Col Nakalema said.
According to the statement, the matter under investigation involves a recent procurement consignment. A number of senior bank personnel, customs and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) personnel are being questioned but BOU operations remain intact and uninterrupted.
“Further details will be provided in due course,” Lt. Col. Nakalema said.
A Friday statement by BoU Governor, Mr Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, without revealing details said that on April 27, the Central Bank received a consignment but during verification process, the staff reported an anomaly in the inventory of the expected consignment.
“Therefore, I requested the Anti-Corruption Unit of State House to investigate the matter. The unit has started investigations and BoU is fully co-operating with the process,” Mr Mutebile said.
Mr Mutebile also assured the public that the bank is committed to maintaining the integrity of its operations.
“We are working with relevant authorities to bring this matter to its logical conclusion,” Mr Mutebile said.
Some BoU officials have been released on police bond but others remain in custody as joint security investigations continue.
