{UAH} Kazinda now pinned over misusing relief cash

Kazinda now pinned over misusing relief cash

Written by Siraje Lubwama

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Created: 19 September 2016

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Geoffrey Kazinda

Two suppliers of relief food to Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) have told the Anti-Corruption court that the institution's former principal accountant, Geoffrey Kazinda, used to "pay" them for food they did not supply and then reclaim the money.

Danes Mulindwa Mutasingwa, who supplied posho and beans to OPM through Katikamu General Suppliers from 2003, told the presiding judge, Margaret Tibulya, on Friday that he received money from the ministry several times on his account. He didn't specify the amounts.

"I was once paid though I had supplied nothing. That money came onto my account without my knowledge and shortly after I had seen it, Kazinda called me and asked me to return it to him because it was government money which was wired to me accidently. This happened between seven to eight times," testified Mulindwa.

Earlier, another food supplier, Amos Mwani, had claimed similar things happened to him. He said Kazinda wired money to his account but would ask him to return it.
The two are to be cross-examined at a later stage.

In a related development, the Bank of Uganda governor has refused to furnish Kazinda with certified copies of the treasury's general account statement that he requested for to prepare his defence. BOU Governor Mutebile explained in a letter why Kazinda, who had earlier succeeded in getting certified audit reports for three years from the auditor general (AG), could not receive the same courtesy from the central bank.

"Bank of Uganda as a banker to government is duty bound to maintain the confidentiality of information relating to government accounts unless directed by a court of competent jurisdiction to disclose  or provide such information," he said.

Kazinda's lawyers say they intend to further cross examine Pius Bigirimana, the former OPM permanent secretary, using the AG's reports. They also want to summon through court some current and former OPM officials in this 74-count case.

In a separate case of illicit enrichment, Justice Tibulya declined to step down from handling the matter, saying there are no justified reasons to do so. Last month Kazinda wrote to the Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine asking him to prevail over Tibulya to recuse herself from the case because he feels she would not be impartial.

Gwokto La'Kitgum

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