IGG speaks out on Bagyenda’s wealth investigation
Head. Inspector General of Government Irene Mulyagonja. FILE PHOTO
What you need to know:
- In March, online publications published leaked account details of Ms Bagyenda showing she had stashed away billions of shillings in mainly two banks, the Barclays Bank and Diamond Trust Bank.
- The banks have since apologised to Ms Bagyenda and indicated that their staff who leaked her account details would be penalised. Separately, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) also commenced investigations into the publications after Ms Bagyenda reported the case.
- The editors were last week summoned to CID over Bagyenda stories and have since been charged with criminal libel and computer misuse.
Kampala. The Inspector General of Government, Ms Irene Mulyagonja, yesterday sought to dispel claims that her office had bungled investigations into the wealth of Ms Justine Bagyenda, the out-going Bank of Uganda director for supervision.
Ms Bagyenda, who faces allegations of amassing wealth in whistleblowers petitions to the IGG, is also being investigated by Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) on money laundering accusations.
The FIA boss, Mr Sydney Asubo, and the board chairman, Mr Leo Kibirango, have also been separately accused of not acting on Ms Bagyenda’s file.
Responding to the Youth Crusaders, an advocacy group that had accused the IGG and FIA of delaying investigations, Ms Mulyagonja asked the youth to be patient, saying they had made “tremendous strides” in the investigations.
“We are doing an individual investigation here. Why would we preempt it through media? When it is ready, we shall give it to the responsible parties,” Ms Mulyagonja said.
Addressing journalists in Kampala yesterday, the youth said the delayed IGG and FIA investigations were ‘breeding impunity’ and hampering justice in the fight against corruption.
Complaint
“We have information that Ms Bagyenda has been re-instated to BoU as an adviser to the Governor, which is unfair to the youth who lost their jobs in the closure of banks. This decision is likely to jeopardise investigations since she is the principal figure in the mess,” Ms Fatinah Nakazibwe, the group coordinator, said.
“We cannot sit back when such things are happening. This is the same official who was accused of money laundering and amassing wealth. The IGG and FIA people should bring their reports on these matters,” she added.
Mr Bashir Kazibwe, the group’s spokesperson, also asked Parliament to take interest in the matter.
The youth wondered why commercial banks were closed yet the director banks supervision had previously issued ‘good reports.’
However, Mr Asubo dismissed the claims made by the youth, saying money laundering investigations take time and cannot be rushed.
“I will issue the report in the next one week. Why aren’t people patient? This work is not as easy as you think,” he said.
Asked whether the presence of Ms Bagyenda at BoU would not jeopardise investigations as the youth groups claim, Mr Asubo said: “Let them wait for the report and when it is released, they will judge for themselves. They should not put us on pressure to make errors.”
Efforts to speak to Ms Bagyenda were futile as she could not answer our endless calls and respond to text messages.
Last week, another group, the Youth Power Research Uganda, petitioned the President, Speaker Rebecca Kadaga and Prime Minister over delayed investigations.
