The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has remanded Commissioner of Police Eldard Mugume on six charges of abuse of office over the alleged unlawful recruitment of six people into the Uganda Police Force. Mugume, a resident of Ndejje in Makindye Division in Kampala City, was on Wednesday arraigned before Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe, where he denied all charges against him. He has been remanded to Luzira Prison until September 2, 2025, while a criminal summons has been issued for his co-accused, Waidha Lillian, 37, a Human Resource Officer in the police, who did not appear in court.
According to evidence before the court, Mugume reportedly recruited Lizzie Namulinda, Aisha Namukasa, Lilly Birungi, Jasper Ekyoheirwe, Pearl Kainembabazi, and Eva Amumpaire in 2013 — all of them given ranks of Inspector of Police. “Mugume Eldard and Waidha Lillian between February and March 2013 at Uganda Police Headquarters Naguru in the Kampala District, being employed as commissioner Human Resource Management and Human Resource Officer, respectively, in the Uganda Police Force, did an arbitrary act prejudicial to the interest of their employer, in abuse of the authority of their office, to wit recruited Namulinda Lizzie as Inspector of Police,” reads the first count.
Prosecutors contend the appointments were made arbitrarily and prejudicial to the interests of the Uganda Police Force. Under the Anti-Corruption Court Act, if found guilty, Mugume and Waidha each face up to seven years in prison. The case is part of ongoing efforts to address alleged irregularities and misconduct within public service recruitment processes that lead to ghost workers, especially in government institutions such as Makerere University Business School (MUBS), where the former principal, Professor Wasswa Balunywa is wanted and has been summoned to appear in court.
Meanwhile, former police officer Francis Oyet has pleaded guilty to causing a 20.6 million shilling loss to government, which he unlawfully withdrew as salary despite having voluntarily resigned from the Uganda Police Force. Oyet admitted the offence before Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe and was remanded to Luzira Prison until August 21, when he will be sentenced. He faces up to 14 years in prison or a fine not exceeding 6.7 million shillings under Section 20 of the Anti-Corruption Act.
Oyet is charged alongside Aryatuha Dora, the Police’s principal Human Resource Officer, accused of neglecting to delete him from the government payroll.
Several other officials are facing related charges.
At MUBS, 68-year-old Prof. Balunywa is accused of unlawfully recruiting three individuals — Arike James, Nuwagira Nathan, and Nimrod Kakayi — as Administrative Assistants between February and April 2023, despite knowing they lacked the minimum academic qualifications. Prosecutors allege the appointments caused ineligible costs to the government. Balunywa is indicted alongside former Acting Human Resource Director and now Chief Quality Assurance Manager Jacqueline Namaganda on multiple counts of abuse of office and neglect of duty.
At the Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA), Human Resource Manager Jennifer Etit Okaka, Manager Legal Services Okwalinga Joseph Joel, and former staff member Atukunda Irene Kagume are also facing corruption-related charges. Prosecutors say Okaka caused a financial loss of 55.35 million shillings by failing to remove Atukunda and Satia Peter from the payroll between June and November 2023, despite knowing their employment had ended.
Atukunda allegedly absconded from her role as a Security Assistant between June 2023 and June 2024 but fraudulently received 146.5 million shillings in salaries and benefits. Okaka also faces a corruption charge for neglect of duty, while Okwalinga is accused of abuse of office for allegedly accepting Atukunda’s resignation without a mandatory disciplinary hearing. Okaka denied the charges and was remanded to Luzira until August 14 for her bail application. Criminal summons have been issued for Okwalinga, Atukunda, and Satia.
In a separate case, former MUBS security in-charge Ojuku Ibrahim was remanded to Luzira for causing a loss of 41.65 million shillings by failing to report the non-attendance and removal from payroll of another security guard, Ngabirano Joseph, who is charged with neglect of duty. Also before the court is Uganda Police Senior Engineering Assistant James Sekalumba, accused of abuse of office for allegedly holding a second government job as an electrician at Kyambogo University from 2010 to 2023, contrary to public service regulations. The court heard that all the charges contravene the Anti-Corruption Act and Penal Code provisions targeting misuse of authority and failure to protect public funds.
*****
URN
