By Ambrose Musasizi
The anti-corruption unit of State House on Thursday arrested three government officials for allegedly embezzling funds meant to operate civil servants’ salaries.
The arrested officials include; Ms Joanitah Nakityo the Buliisa Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Mr Andrew Byaruhanga, the Ntungamo District Chief Finance Officer (CFO), and Mr Julius Ashaba, the Ntungamo District Information Technology Officer. These are expected to appear before the anti-corruption court today.Preliminary investigations revealed that the trio; Ms Nakityo, Mr Byaruhanga and Mr Ashaba embezzled Shs62,488,935, Shs16,464,000 and Shs14,220,025 respectively.
The total amount of the embezzled funds is Shs93 million which is said to have been taken between the month of June and December 2017.According to Mr Oketch the Mbarara Regional Inspector General of Government, this money was meant to cover civil servants’ salaries and wages which these officials accessed by virtue of their positions in the local government.
In her defence, as she was being picked from Maria Flo Hotel in Masaka City where she had a two-day workshop, Ms Nakityo denied having stolen the money but instead had to cover up her predecessor who had messed up everything.Ms Nakityo is said to have swindled the money during her time of service as the Ntungamo District CAO in 2019.
Ms Nakityo was later transferred to Kyotera District where she served for a couple of months before being transferred to Buliisa District.
While pleading not to be arrested, Mr Ashaba said he only requested for the Shs14m to complete Information Technology activities in different Sub Counties in the district.
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“I made a request to do an activity concerning information technology though I didn’t do it. However, little did I know that the money had been meant to pay other employees’ salaries?
How I wish you forgave me”, he pleaded.Mr Oketch said many government employees have used their positions to become small gods in the areas they serve which puts government money at risk.
“When such money is embezzled, it affects the work and other government projects because such money is always meant to finance the projects,” he said after aiding the arrests in Masaka City.
