Three Mitooma District Local Government officials have been charged before the Anti-Corruption Court over the alleged diversion and misuse of public funds amounting to Shs45.06 million, in a case involving payments for road works and fuel allegedly never supplied.
The accused are Acting District Engineer John Baptist Tumwebaze, District Road Inspector Franklin Mandela and Sector Accountant Lydia Aheereza, who appeared in court yesterday and were charged with multiple offences, including abuse of office, conspiracy to commit an offence, diversion of public resources, causing financial loss, embezzlement and making false claims.
The trio was remanded until October 16, 2026, as investigations and prosecution proceedings continue.
According to the prosecution, the charges stem from funds released to Mitooma District Local Government for the mechanised removal of bottlenecks on four roads: Katwe–Karangara–Karimbiro, Kirambi–Kirera–Ruziizi, Omuribiri–Nyakizinga–Mutaka and Kyanzaire–Bukuba.
Prosecution alleges that between June 17 and June 30, 2026, the accused diverted part of the funds to pay Shs31.16 million for fuel that was never supplied and allowances for road works that were allegedly not undertaken.
The transactions are alleged to have caused the Government a financial loss of Shs45,066,400.
The case was investigated by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The officials’ arrest and subsequent arraignment followed complaints and investigations arising from the Expose the Corrupt national campaign, spearheaded by Minister of State for Local Government Balaam Barugahara, which seeks to strengthen accountability and tackle corruption in local governments.
The charges against the three officials remain allegations, and the court is yet to determine their culpability.
