Trade PS Ssali detained over cooperatives cash
The Permanent Secretary of the Trade Ministry, Geraldine Ssali, has been arrested and faces charges in the Anti-Corruption Court, according to a statement the Statehouse by Anti Corruption Unit (SH-ACU).
The PS joins now joins her alleged accomplices MPs Michael Mawanda Maranga, Mudiimi Wamakuyu, Paul Akamba, Lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankonko and Leonard Kavundira a Ministry of Trade official who were earlier charged for the diversion of over UGX3.4B meant for war loss compensation.
Previously, she was summoned by the police regarding the mishandling of funds intended for compensating cooperative associations for losses during past conflicts in Uganda.
Ssali is now facing charges of causing financial loss and colluding with Members of Parliament to embezzle funds from cooperatives, according to prosecution.
A report from Parliament in October 2023, endorsed by Speaker Anita Among on August 25, 2023, blamed Ssali’s Ministry for making fraudulent payments totaling 48.77 billion Shillings.
These payments were either excessive or not aligned with the allocated amounts for specific cooperatives in the Ministry’s plan between the fiscal years 2019/2020 and 2022/2023.
The Committee identified cooperatives that received illegal payments, such as Lambuli Central Pulpery Cooperative Society (4.70 billion), Jinja Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd (4.8 billion), Buyaka Cooperative Society (3.5 billion), Masaaba Cooperative Union (5 billion), Bumwambu Cooperative Society Ltd (6 billion), Masaka Cooperative Union (7 billion), and Bwavumpologoma Growers Cooperative Union Ltd (2.75 billion).
Additionally, the Committee recommended that the Director of Public Prosecutions investigate Ssali under Section 79 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2015, for wrongfully approving a payment of 1.74 billion Shillings to Okoro Coffee Growers Cooperative Union Limited in Zombo before its verification.
