As Bugweri county Member of Parliament also former COSASE chairman Abdu Katuntu struggled to explain recommendations by the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises about the conduct of Bank of Uganda in the sale of commercial banks, he has more explaining to do, this time to the Inspectorate of Government.
MPs pocked holes into the Katuntu committee report and called it lacking when it fell short of mentioning BOU officials that should be held responsible for the whole confusion. The report instead says Bank of Uganda officials, but MPs want names.
However, Hon. Katuntu says they could not name them as the officials did not provide any minutes to the committee when asked during the probe. They instead feigned ignorance while others pretended not to remember who had attended meetings that led to the sale of these Banks.
Now, the inspector General of Government says Katuntu and his Vice chairperson Anita Amongi met with tycoon Sudhir Ruparelia whose Crane Bank was the last commercial entity to be sold off by BOU.
In a letter released Wednesday by Irene Mulyagonja, the IGG says the Internal Security Organization (ISO) has been given green light to investigate accusations that MPS Katuntu, Amongi, Elijah Okupa and Odonga Otto regularly met with Sudhir and his son Rajiv Ruparelia plus the family lawyers during the course of the probe.
the members are also accused of receiving cash payments from the Ruparelias which is suspected to be the real reason they refused to yield leadership of COSASE when the term ended.
It is also alleged that Hon. Katuntu was one of the debtors of Global Trust Bank at the time when it was closed on July 25th 2012.
“He owed the Bank approximately UGX 180,000,000, a matter he did not declare yet the debts were amongst the causes of the Bank’s collapse” the IGG writes.
It is also alleged that the Governor Bank of Uganda, Prof. Emmanuel Tumusiime Mutebile, authorized payment of UGX 400,000,000 to Hon. Abdu Katuntu to en able COSASE carry out benchmarking exercise with other central banks.
“The money was not declared by Hon. Katuntu and neither was it accounted for. This is one of the reasons why the Governor was allowed to pretend that he knew nothing about any closed banks, was never put to oath and not closely examined like other BOU officials. Prof. Mutebile was also bribed with millions of dollars by Sudhir Ruparelia” the letter reads.
It is also alleged that a one Tumubweine Twinemanzi a COSASE member, leaked confidential information to Sudhir and openly associates with the businessman often visiting him at the Speke Apartments and Kabira Country Club.
Now, the IGG wants a copy of the report, inclusive of the action taken on conclusion of the investigation by COSASE.
