Africa-Press – Uganda. The last suspect on corruption charges regarding funds meant for Karamoja peace building activities was yesterday charged and granted bail.
Mr Geoffrey Sseremba, the undersecretary in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo after he was issued two criminal summons to appear and answer to charges of corruption.
He appeared before presiding Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe, who formally read the charges to him. He pleaded not guilty to the charges of abuse of office and causing the government a financial loss of Shs4.4 billion.
Mr Sseremba faces the charges together with six others, who were previously granted bail after pleading not guilty.
The six include Mr Deogratious Masigazi, the under secretary/ head of department- pacification and development; Ms Barbara Asasira, the principal assistant secretary; Mr Joshua Abaho, senior assistant secretary; Mr Emmy Tonny Ameny, assistant commissioner of programmes; Mr Peter Amodoi, programme officer, and Mr Samuel Ofungi, senior assistant secretary.
The suspects, all together, face 12 related corruption charges ranging from causing financial loss, abuse of office, to embezzlement.
While granting him bail, the presiding magistrate noted that the sureties presented by Mr Sseremba were substantial given their status in the society.
“I find the sureties substantial… and I proceed to release the applicant on the following terms; a cash bail of Shs20m, each of the sureties a non- cash bond of Shs100m, surrender his original land title at Kitende, desist from interfering with the investigations and should not frequent his workplace upon interdiction, surrender his passport and shall not leave this country without permission of court as any of these will lead to automatic cancellation of your bail,” Mr Asiimwe ruled. The magistrate adjourned the case to July 26.
In count one of causing financial loss, Mr Sseremba and Mr Masigazi, between February and June, 2022 while performing their respective roles at OPM, allegedly approved a total of more than Shs4b to various colleagues of theirs at office without any proper workplan nor genuine activities to be carried out.
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