The Anti-Corruption court in Kololo has charged an engineer of the Uganda Roads Authority (UNRA) and a Community Development Officer of Luwero Town Council for amassing wealth that is not commensurate with their monthly earnings.
Umar Katongole, a Principal Engineer with the Ministry of Works and Hawah Ssengendo, a Senior Community Development Officer with Wobulenzi Town Council in Luweero district were Tuesday afternoon arraigned before Anti- Corruption Grade One Magistrate, Moses Nabende and charged with illicit enrichment contrary to section 31(1) (b) and section 31(2) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.
The two officials were arrested yesterday by the inspectorate of government.
The two officials were also charged with money laundering contrary to section 3(a), 116 and 136(1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act as amended in 2017.
The officials were however not allowed to take plea as the magistrate’s court does not have powers to try cases involving such huge sums of money.
According to state prosecutor, investigations into the matter are ongoing. The magistrate has adjourned the matter up to July 24.
Charges
Prosecution alleges that in 2015, being a station engineer for UNRA, Katongole was found in possession and control of property including plots of land and other untitled land in various parts of Kampala including Makindye, Mengo, Kabowa and Kyadondo whose total value was established to be at shs6.2 billion which was disproportionate to his income.
According to the state, the total amount of money earned as income by Katongole for four years was only shs300 million.
Prosecution also alleges that for purposes of disguising the illicit origin of these properties, the ownership of the shs6.2 billion was transferred to the names of Darkins Uganda Limited.
The state also avers that Katongole and Ssengendo between April 2011 and August 2015 deposited shs2.8 billion on an account number in Tropical bank as one of the ways to conceal the illicit wealth that had been amassed.
It is also alleged that the duo on June 27, 2015, they withdrew shs380 million from a bank account they jointly owned and deposited it onto another account that Ssengendo owns in Tropical Bank.
Ssengendo is also accused of depositing shs466 million onto her account in a bid to conceal that it had been got through illicit ways.
The duo was arrested by the office of Inspector General of Government early this week.
The charge sheet shows Ssengendo earns about Shs5 million monthly totaling to shs300 million in five years which raise eyebrows on how he had acquired shs6.2 billion wealth.
The suspects are expected to defend themselves against six counts on which they will be charged as highlighted by the document.
count 1v – money laundering, contrary to Sections 3(a), 116 and 136 (1) (a) of the Anti Money Laundering Act (as amended in 2017): Katongole Umar and Sengendo Hawa alias Kawa S. Bitone between 4th April 2011 to 6th August 2015 at Tropical Bank Ltd. main branch in Kampala district deposited a total sum of Shs.2,849,545,000/= (Uganda Shillings two billion, eight hundred forty nine million, five hundred forty five thousand) on account No.0010102561 for purpose of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of funds, knowing or having reasons to believe that the said funds were proceeds of crime.
COUNT V – MONEY LAUNDERING, contrary to Sections 3(b), 116 and 136 (1) (a) of the Anti Money Laundering Act (as amended in 2017): Sengendo Hawa alias Kawa S. Bitone on the 27th of June 2015 at Tropical Bank Ltd. Main Branch in Kampala for purposes of disguising or concealing the origin of funds in the sum of Shs.380,000,000/= (Three Hundred Eighty Million) which Umar Katongole withdrew from Account No. No.0010102561 that he jointly operated with her banked it onto account No. 0100017148 that she is solely operating at Tropical Bank, Main Branch, knowing or having reasons to believe that the said funds were proceeds of crime.
COUNT VI – MONEY LAUNDERING, contrary to Sections 3(a), 116 and 136 (1) (a) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act (as amended in 2017): Sengendo Hawa alias Kawa S. Bitone on 13th July 2015 at Tropical Bank Ltd. main branch in Kampala district deposited a total sum of Shs.466,000,000/= (Uganda Shillings four hundred sixty six Million) on account No.0100017148 for purpose of concealing or disguising the illicit origin of funds, knowing or having reasons to believe that the said funds are proceeds of crime.
