The Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has committed former Accounting Officer at Uganda's Mission in Beijing to Police over theft of Visas and non-remittance of Non-Tax Revenue (NTR).
Joseph Isingoma, who was appearing before the committee to respond to the queries raised in the Auditor General's report of 2015/ 2016 financial year, failed to account for NTR funds. NTR funds are generated through renting out Ugandan properties abroad and issuance of Visas and fees for investment in Uganda.
According to the Auditor General's report, Isingoma was faulted for spending 350 million shillings and misusing another 803 million shillings without permission from the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury.
The committee chaired by the Vice Chairperson Gerald Karuhanga noted that Isingoma's actions were in breach of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) which as well requires that such monies are transferred to the consolidated fund.
Isingoma noted that they used some of the money for medical bills though he could not provide the receipts immediately. He also stated that although he requested the Secretary to the Treasury, this was not approved.
He says they also spent money on recalls and posting of officers among others. He says some of the money was use for heating the buildings during the cold season.
The report further implicates Isingoma and Alex Bamya, the Embassy attaché, for the loss of 250 Visa stickers worth 90 million shillings which were stolen from his custody and sold on the Beijing open market.
On Visas, Isingoma said he had misplaced 250 Ugandan visas that he had kept in his drawers, stating that he learnt that the visas were stolen from his store from the then financial attaché, Alex Bamya.
Isingoma was asked for the evidence that he reported to the authorities which he never produced before the committee prompting the chair to ask the Parliament police to take him to the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department (CIID) for further investigations.
Isingoma was whisked away in tears by the parliamentary police to record a statement.
Karuhanga also ordered that his associate, Alex Bamya, should be found by police and investigated further.
PAC is investigating irregularities at the different Ugandan embassies abroad.
