Busia Officials Remanded Over Grant Fraud
BUSIA. After months of community engagement and public forums in Busia Municipality, several district officials have been arraigned before the Busia Chief Magistrates Court on charges of theft and conspiracy to defraud the government.
The charges stem from alleged irregularities in the handling of a UGX 1 billion road maintenance grant.
The operation, led by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), followed multiple complaints raised by residents concerning poor road works and suspected financial misuse.
Those arraigned include Baganzi Ronald Ross, the former Town Clerk of Busia Municipality now serving in Kumi; Kiganda James Farouk, the Municipal Engineer; Chimulwa Wycliffe, the Principal Accountant; Sekamanya Martin, an Assistant Engineering Officer; Kundu Javenarly, Foreman in the Works Department; and two staff from Shell Busia—Manager Kyaligonza Christopher and Assistant Manager Mukisa Were.
The group is accused of working together to channel public funds through Shell Busia fuel station under the guise of supplying fuel for municipal projects. Investigations have so far uncovered that more than UGX 200 million of the road maintenance funds may have been misappropriated through these transactions.
In a related case, Asset David, Chairperson of the North “C” Parish Development Model (PDM) SACCO, has also been charged with soliciting payments from program beneficiaries as a condition to access government funds.
All the accused were remanded until May 30, 2025, pending further investigations and court proceedings.
