Fort Portal City Officials Face Corruption Charges after SH-ACU Op
FORTPORTAL: Three Fort Portal City officials – Kagaba Richard Ndora, Kyomuhendo Susan, and Ben Mutooro Musinguzi – have been brought before the Anti-corruption Court by a joint effort from the State House Anti Corruption Unit (SH-ACU), CID, and the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The charges they face revolve around allegations of Abuse of Office stemming from their involvement in a scandal surrounding unauthorized appointments.
It is reported that between November 2022 and July 2023, the accused officials abused their authority by improperly issuing appointment letters to 23 individuals without the necessary clearance from the Public Service.
Allegedly to cover their tracks and circumvent detection, these letters were falsely backdated to June 29, 2023, just a day before a circular issued by the ministry of public service on June 30, 2023, suspended all recruitments lacking proper authorization.
This blatant disregard for established protocols and guidelines set forth by both the Ministry of Public Service and the Public Service Commission underscores a troubling trend of misconduct within the Fort Portal City administration.
Despite numerous warnings and directives outlining the correct recruitment procedures, the accused officials allegedly chose to ignore them, resulting in this scandalous situation.
As the legal process unfolds, the three officials remain remanded until 4/12/2024, awaiting further proceedings and potential repercussions for their actions. This case serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of transparency, accountability, and ethical conduct in public service roles. It also highlights the tireless efforts of authorities to combat corruption and uphold the rule of law in Fort Portal City and beyond.
SH-ACU says the ongoing investigation will continue to shed light on the pervasive issue of corruption in public offices and emphasize the need for vigilance in maintaining integrity and trust in governance practices.
