IG orders Lira officials to refund shs15 million

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has ordered two civil servants attached to Lira District Local Government (DLG) to refund over 15 million shillings that was irregularly paid to them or face prosecution. The officials in question are Edmondton Acheka, the Assistant District Health Officer, and Luciano Ondongorik, the former Education Assistant at Lira District. They have been given 60 days to refund the money or risk legal action.

According to a report from the IG’s Lira Regional Office, between April 2015 and September 2016, Edmondton Acheka, while serving as Assistant District Health Officer in charge of maternal health, accumulated salary arrears totaling Shs 24,472,893. In August 2021, Lira District Local Government paid him Shs 20,472,896, but failed to deduct Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax amounting to Shs 6,043,869—a violation of tax regulations.

Meanwhile, Luciano Ondongorik, who had been deleted from the government payroll in 2008, received arrears amounting to Shs 32,707,459 for the period from July 2008 to May 2016. This amount was paid in August 2021, again without deducting PAYE worth Shs 9,714,838.

In a letter signed by Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, the Deputy Inspector General of Government, the two officials have been instructed to refund the undeducted PAYE—totalling over Shs 15 million—into the IG Assets Recovery Account at Bank of Uganda within 60 days.

“Failure to comply with the directive will lead to prosecution,” the DIGG warned. The IG pointed out that the failure to deduct the tax contravenes Section 19 (1)(a) of the Income Tax Act, Cap 338, which mandates proper withholding of PAYE.

The Inspectorate emphasized the need for public officials to maintain professionalism and adhere to ethical standards while performing their duties, urging them to avoid actions that compromise their integrity and expose them to legal consequences. In a related development, the IG in June this year announced the interdiction of Denis Livingstone Okello, the Inspector of Schools in Dokolo District, over allegations of academic forgery. Okello was interdicted alongside four other civil servants from different districts.

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