Two URC staff remanded over Shs 146 Million loss

By Elizabeth Ankunda

21^st March 2024

The Anti Corruption Court has remanded two employees of Uganda Railway Corporation (URC) on charges of causing financial loss to the government amounting to more than 146 million shillings.

They are; Nicholas Kakooza, the Mechanical Engineer and Peter Chrys Katwebaze, Assistant Chief Mechanical Engineer who are all residents of Kiira Division in Wakiso District.

On Thursday, the suspects appeared before the Acting Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe who read to them one count of causing financial loss.

They are jointly charged with Stanley Sendegeya who did not appear.

The court heard that in August 2021 at Uganda Railways Corporation offices at plot 57 Nasser Road in Kampala, the accused persons caused the irregular payment of an extra sum of 38,200 Dollars (146 million shillings) to Kenya Railway Corporation for security and transportation of four used locomotives that had been provided by URC from Chwangame Mombasa to URC’s workshop in Nalukolongo Kampala; Yet the payments had already been made to the Provider GPR Leasing Africa under the Contract for the Supply Delivery, Training and commissioning of 4 Used locomotives knowing that such extra payments would cause financial loss to the government of Uganda.

The prosecution led by Gloria Inzikuru informed the court that investigations into the matter are in their final stages.

She further asked the court to issue criminal summons against Sendegeya requiring him to appear and take a plea.

However, the suspects denied the charges and applied for bail because they were senior citizens.

They presented two workmates and a third person as sureties whom the prosecution said were not substantial after they failed to produce evidence to indicate that they were employees of Uganda Railway Corporation.

The sureties are: Ochaki Namara Abuberkerer the Chief Operations Officer and David Musiime Katanisa Principal Operating Officer in charge of the Marines at Uganda Railways Corporation Charles Luzigye Commissioner Maritime Administration in the Ministry of Works and Transport.

The suspects told court that they have been undergoing investigations since 2021 and have religiously answered their bond.

In his ruling, the Magistrate declined to grant them bail on grounds that there was a conflict of interest and the sureties might in future be asked to be prosecution witnesses.

END