Ntungamo District Veterinary Officer remanded over forgery

Grade one magistrate’s court in Ntungamo on Friday remanded the district principal veterinary officer, Dr Yake Basulira, on charges of forgery and perjury.

This followed his arrest on Thursday by the state house anti-corruption unit accusing him of forging receipts of accountability in enforcing foot and mouth disease quarantine in the district and duping the court by swearing affidavits that led to the auction of the impounded animals.

Court presided over by Mr Edgar Kakuru remanded him to Ntungamo Central Prison until February 20 when he will return for further mention of the case.

“It’s beyond the court time and we cannot hear any case, the suspect is remanded till Monday, February 20 when he will take a plea and be given chance to apply for bail,” Mr Kakuru ruled.

The prosecution contends that on December 20, 2022, Dr Basulira forged fuel station receipts and uttered the same before Ntungamo Magistrate’s court claiming expenses.

Two counts of perjury were all committed on December 19, 2022 when he swore affidavits claiming Shs1,502,000 and Shs3,000,000 to maintain the district foot and mouth disease task force team, which was ‘found to be false’.

“Dr Basulira being employed as the Principal District Veterinary Officer of Ntungamo District, on December 19, 2022, submitted an affidavit to Ntungamo Chief Magistrate’s Court, in support of disposal of 12 heads of cattle, knowing that it contained false information wit, that he incurred fuel costs amounting to Shs3000,000 for foot and mouth task force team, whereas not,” court documents read in part.

The offences accrue from impounded animals that had strayed from a farm of one Gikwereke of Rubaare sub-county. Because the area had been put under animal movement restriction, 12 cows that had strayed were impounded and handed over to the army that kept them until Dr Yaake and Ntungamo RDC Mr Geoffrey Mucunguzi decided they be auctioned before court reasoning that they had symptoms of foot and mouth disease. Money taken from the auction is the centre of contestation as it was supposedly mismanaged.  

The state house anti-corruption team has been in the district investigating the management of the quarantine after allegations emerged that key political and technical heads were gaining from it by fleecing farmers in order to allow them to transport and sell animals outside the district.