EOC boss remanded over corruption, fraud

The chairperson of Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has been remanded to prison after she was charged with corruption and fraud related offences in regard to mismanagement of millions of taxpayers’ money.

Ms Sylvia Muwebwa Ntambi Thursday took to the dock after snubbing three court summonses.

She denied allegations of conspiracy to defraud government and corruption before the Anticorruption Court at Kololo, Kampala.

Ms Ntambi’s appearance in court was prompted by Chief Magistrate, Ms Pamella Lamunu Ocaya’s threats to issue a warrant of arrest against her.

She applied for bail and presented three civil society workers as her sureties. They’re; Julius Mukunda of CSBAG, Patricia Bambi of FOWEDE and EOC member Zamina Malore.

However, the chief magistrate remanded Ntambi until November 4 for fresh bail application on grounds that two of her sureties did not prove their places of work.

Ms Ntambi is among others, accused of negligence that led to gross mismanagement of the commission’s funds. She is indicted alongside other nine members of the commission who have since been charged and are out on bail.
According to the amended charge sheet, the 10 commission officials are facing 25 corruption-related charges. They range from causing financial loss, conspiracy to defraud, embezzlement, corruption,  and abuse of office.

Function
The EOC is a constitutional body mandated to eliminate discrimination and inequalities against any individual or group of persons. The commission is mandated to take affirmative action in favour of groups marginalised on the basis of gender, age, disability or any other reason created by history, tradition or custom for the purpose of redressing imbalances which exist against them.

Accused

Under count 12, Ms Ntambi alongside Ms Agnes Enid Kamahoro, 48, senior personal secretary, and Mr Mujuni Mpitsi, 49, secretary, between January 6, 2019 and April 30, 2019, allegedly conspired to defraud government of more than Shs9m. Her other co-accused are Mr Moses Mugabe, 38, a senior monitoring and evaluation officer,  Ms Harriet Byangire, 37, senior accountant, Mr Ronnie Kwesiga, 33, acting accounts assistant, Mr Evans Jjemba, 35, principal compliance officer, and Mr Manasseh Kwihangana, 39, senior compliance officer.