IGG to investigate army over ghost pilot scam

Kampala- The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has opened up investigations into a scam in which government lost more than Shs2 billion through the maintenance of a suspected ghost Russian pilot on its payroll over a period of 11 years.

The spokesperson of the Inspectorate of Government, Ms Ali Munira, told Daily Monitor last week the investigation was precipitated by a complaint lodged by one Aron Bakunda, a private citizen.

In August, this newspaper published a story, which indicated that between October 2005 and February this year, the army paid a ghost pilot, one Valeri Ketrisk, alias Valerie Ketriski SK, $618,000 (approximately Shs2.07b) in monthly salaries and another $120,000 (approximately Shs402m) in gratuities.

This loss came to light in June after a team appointed by the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), Gen Katumba Wamala, to investigate the matter, released a report that implicated the Chief of the Air Force, Maj Gen Samuel Turyagyenda, and nine others for alleged connivance and negligence. Maj Gen Turyagyenda has since denied involvement in the scam.

“I was not involved in any way. My signature and stamp were forged,” Maj Gen Turyagyenda recently told Daily Monitor.

Some of the nine cited by the investigators led by Maj Martin Nsengiyunva, Mr Erias Mparana, principal human resource officer in the Ministry of Defence, Sgt Beswel Kutosi and Maj Lubega Kapalaga, of Uganda Air Force, Ms Caroline Kyakabale and Lt Col Grace Kyomuhendo of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence.

Others are one Maj Bumanya of the Army’s legal department, Ms Goretti Nansove of the Air Force, Lt Komunda and Maj Zakama. Both Lt Komunda and Maj Zakama have since died.

In his November 23 letter to the IGG, Mr Bakunda accuses the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Ms Rosette Byengoma, of refusal to comply with guidance from the Chief of Defence Forces on how to proceed with the investigation.

“The purpose hereof is to forward the preliminary investigation report and request that you appoint one of the MoD [Ministry of Defence] officials to join an audit team to be headed by the D/CDF [Deputy Chief of Defence Forces] in this matter,” Gen Katumba wrote in the June 18 memo to Ms Byengoma.

Mr Bakunda now accuses Ms Byengoma of having shelved the report in order to protect one of the implicated officials who is said to be her relative, a charge which she denies.

“Why should I shield anyone who has caused financial loss to the institution when I very well know that it can cause me problems? Whoever is telling you that must be wishing me the worst. I can never cover up for such [fraud],” she told Daily Monitor in a recent text message.

However, Mr Bakunda alleges selective application of the law, arguing that whereas other officers who had been accused of fraud and other offences had been forced to step aside to allow for investigations, those involved in the ghost pilot’s scam have not been forced to follow suit.

In July 2013, the deputy Executive Director Uganda Media Centre, Col Shaban Bantariza, was forced to step aside after he appeared before the General Court Martial to answer charges of fraud, but was reinstated in June last year after he was found innocent.

In August, the UPDF’s Chief Political Commissar, Col Felix Kulayigye, was sent on forced leave pending investigations into allegations that he was involved in a Shs200m gold deal that went bad.

He was recently cleared of wrongdoing and reinstated.
Mr Bakunda is demanding that the same standard, which was applied on Colonels Bantariza and Kulayigye, be applied to those cited in the ghost pilot’s scam.

“This is to therefore request you (to) investigate the matter and those involved should pave way for investigations,” Mr Bakunda wrote.
In response, Ms Munira last week said: “I can confirm that we have the complaint and it is being reviewed to ascertain how the matter will be dealt with.”

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