Anti-corruption Court Judge Lawrence Gidudu is today set to deliver his judgment in a case where three former public service ministry officials are charged with swindling 88Bn Shillings meant for pensions.
The officials are Jimmy Lwamafa, the former ministry permanent secretary, Christopher Obey, former principal accountant, and Stephen Kunsa Kiwanuka, a former director for research and development.
The trio was first charged in 2013 for allegedly stealing 165Bn Shillings in pension funds but that case was dismissed in 2015 after prosecution failed to present any witnesses.
Prosecution argues that the trio smuggled 88.2 Billion shillings into the ministry’s budget for the 2010/11 and 2011/12 financial years. This money allegedly appeared as contribution by civil servants to NSSF, which is impossible, since civil servants do not contribute to NSSF since they have their own pension scheme.
It is alleged that the money was deposited in Cairo Bank where the swindlers then created fictitious accounts through which money was withdrawn.
In September, two court assessors advised justice Gidudu to absolve the accused of any blame claiming prosecution did not prove that the suspects caused government a financial loss.