Two senior officials of the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) have been interdicted by the Inspectorate of Government (IG) over accusations of abuse of office.
Aristarco Mujuzi Kasekende, the Finance and Accounting Manager, and John Baptist Ahimbisibwe, the Accountant, are barred from performing their duties until the conclusion of ongoing court proceedings.
The interdiction order, signed by Dr. Patricia Achan Okiria, the Deputy Inspector General of Government, is based on charges of causing financial loss to the corporation.
The duo is among five former and current UPPC officials facing charges.
Prof. Tom Davis Wasswa (former Managing Director), Ms. Victoria Namulondo (former acting Sales Manager), and Ms. Christine Mayengo (former Finance & Accounting Manager) are also implicated but haven’t yet appeared in court.
The charges against the five include embezzlement, causing financial loss through irregular payments for events, and furnishing false financial statements.
The Inspectorate of Government cites specific instances where allegedly dubious payments were authorized, including shs219 million by Victoria Namulondo, supposedly for activities that never took place, shs37.5 million for a 10-day book exhibition that did not happen.
They are also accused of dubiously making payments exceeding shs110 million for a 21-day book exhibition and shs8.9 million for a higher education exhibition, both allegedly unauthorized as well as approval of shs27.8 million for a management retreat at a hotel without proper justification.
The interdiction of Kasekende and Ahimbisibwe serves to distance them from their positions while the court case proceeds.
Their trial will determine their guilt or innocence.
