Africa-Press – Uganda. A group of youth attached to nti-corruption monitors in Kotido District in Karamoja sub-region have welcomed the interdiction of Kotido district engineer Mr Paul Logole over his alleged illegal transporting of grounded district cars taking them to sale in Kampala.
Mr Logole landed himself in trouble on May 7 when he allegedly authorized transportation of three vehicles, one fuel tank, generators and a compacting machine- to Kampala without the Chief Administrative Officer’s (CAO) consent.
The equipment was on the same day intercepted at night after uproar from a group of concerned people upon noticing the items being illicitly transported.
John Lokol, one of the anticorruption monitors told Daily Monitor that they alerted police when they saw a moving- loaded vehicle during odd hours.
“We became suspicious over why the machines were being transported at night. We called police and they came very fast and intercepted the equipment upon interrogating the drivers of the truck.’’
‘’They revealed that it was the district engineer who had called them from Kampala to transport the equipment,’’ he said.
The Kotido District CAO, Mr Joseph Lomongin wrote a letter immediately interdicting Mr Logole, pending further investigations into the matter.
Mr Lomongin also ordered Mr Logole to hand over the office to allow investigations to proceed.
He said Mr Logole will receive half salary until investigations are concluded warning that if found guilty, he would have to ‘face the law’.
“Am following the public service standing orders. What happened in the district was not acceptable,” Mr Lomongin said.
He also wrote a letter to the district senior procurement officer Mr Denis Ojok querying why he equally shouldn’t be interdicted.
Mr Logole, when contact declined to comment on the matter.
Kidepo regional Police Commander Mr Steven Dan Chan told journalists that the officer faces charges of abuse of office and corruption.
“The investigations are almost done and the file is getting ready. Anytime it will be taken to the resident State Attorney for advice,” he said.
However, Mr Lokol has cautioned police not to play with such files saying the public will otherwise loose hope and trust in Police.
