{UAH} Public Service cashier vanishes with Shs 2.9bn

A cashier at the ministry of Public Service withdrew Shs 2.9bn in cash in 2012 and vanished without a trace, MPs on the Public Accounts committee learnt yesterday.

This came to light as ministry officials, led by Permanent Secretary Ada Kabarokole Muwanga, met the PAC to answer audit report queries for the year ended June 2012. According to the auditor general's report, the ministry first withdrew Shs 4.165bn but the money was misappropriated by Robert Ssenyonjo, the then ministry cashier.

"It is a requirement … that all payments wherever possible must be made by means of direct bank transfers or closed cheques, only to the persons named in the vouchers or their accredited agent. The practice of drawing cash to incur expenditure is not encouraged given the risks associated with handling cash," the auditor general's report says.

"On several occasions, activities were duplicated, raising doubts as to [whether they were] genuine and under the circumstances, the expenditures were considered doubtful."

"The audit review revealed that cash amounting to Shs 2.955,975,000 appeared doubtful. The supporting documents presented for audit could not fully support the management assertions of completeness, accuracy and authenticity of the underlying transactions," the report notes.

In response to the IGG, the ministry officials admitted that the said funds were withdrawn by the ministry and its cashier acknowledged receipt, but has absconded from duty since then.

"It is true that funds amounting to Shs 2.9bn were also withdrawn in cash during the year to fund various ministry activities. Management wrote to the officers concerned to provide clarification on the issues raised," the report quotes the ministry as having said.

"The officers have responded, denying requisitioning and/or receiving the funds. The said funds were withdrawn cash by the ministry's cashier. The officers have also provided an internal memo indicating that the then cashier, Mr Robert Ssenyonjo, acknowledged receipt of the funds. Mr Ssenyonjo has since absconded from duty," the AG's report notes further. The Permanent Secretary Muwanga said: "He [Ssenyonjo] disappeared with the money."

In response, committee Chairman Kassiano Wadri asked the PS: "Did you advertise him using his photos you had with you?"

The PS said "No".

At this point the angry MPs ordered the police officer attached to the committee to produce other ministry officials, namely Charles Agogua (Project manager) and Cissy Mbabazi (Accountant) from the ministry of Public Service, including those transferred to other ministries.

But to the committee's dismay, the two officials could not be produced.

"We went to the ministry of Public Service, we did not find them at the office and we tried to raise them on their phones, but they were off. We only managed to get the two people from the ministry of Gender and they are here," one police officer told the committee.

Jinja Municipality East MP Paul Mwiru told the officials: "You are advised to use the same means you have used to tip off your colleagues, to inform them that they must appear before this committee."

walusimbideo@gmail.com 

--

*A positive mind is a courageous mind, without doubts and fears, using the experience and wisdom to give the best of him/herself.

 

 We must dare invent the future!
The only way of limiting the usurpation of power by
 individuals, the military or otherwise, is to put the people in charge  - Capt. Thomas. Sankara {RIP} '1949-1987

 *"Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent

revolution inevitable"**…  *J.F Kennedy