The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has remanded another Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning official on charges of conspiracy to defraud the government through the manipulation of payment systems.

On Tuesday, Chief Magistrate Rachael Nakyazze presided over the arraignment of Pedison Twesigomwe, the Assistant Commissioner for Accounts, who voluntarily appeared in court following a criminal summons published in a local newspaper. The summons had been issued after he allegedly evaded police questioning and could not be reached on his known phone numbers.

Twesigomwe now joins eight other officials who have spent nearly two weeks on remand. These include:

• Lawrence Ssemakula, Accountant General
• Jennifer Muhuruzi, Acting Director of Treasury Services and Asset Management
• Tonny Yawe, Senior IT Officer
• Paul Nkalubo Lumala, Systems IT Officer
• Deborah Dorothy Kusiima, Senior Accountant, Treasury Services Department
• Judith Ashaba, Accountant
• Bettina Nayebare, Research Assistant
• Mark Kasiiku, IT Systems Officer

Charges and Allegations

The prosecution alleges that Ssemakula and Muhuruzi, both high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Finance, failed to implement necessary safeguards to protect public funds, leading to a financial loss of $652,588.20 to the Ugandan government.

Furthermore, Tonny Yawe, a Senior IT Officer, is accused of manipulating payment instruction files from the International Development Association (IDA) in Washington. The intended recipient was Road-Way Company Ltd, Poland, under the guise of payment for recycling plant systems and machinery. However, authorities claim this was a fraudulent transaction designed to divert public funds.

Twesigomwe has been charged as an accomplice to the alleged corruption, with prosecutors arguing that the scheme was intended to illicitly enrich Road-Way Company.

Court Proceedings and Defense Arguments

During the session, State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka emphasized that Twesigomwe had initially been untraceable and was considered to be on the run, prompting authorities to issue summons via the media.

However, Twesigomwe’s lawyers, led by Richard Oine, countered that their client had received the summons through RMacky and Company Advocates on February 12, 2025, and had voluntarily appeared in court to respond. Oine insisted that Twesigomwe is a law-abiding citizen.

Since investigations are still ongoing, the prosecution requested an adjournment and further remand for all accused persons. In response, defense counsel Oine urged the prosecution to provide a timeline for completing investigations.

Further Legal Proceedings

The court granted the prosecution six months to conclude its investigations. Meanwhile, Twesigomwe and his co-accused were remanded until March 4, 2025.

Chief Magistrate Nakyazze informed the accused that she lacked jurisdiction to handle their pleas, which will instead be heard before a High Court judge, who will also determine their bail applications.

The group faces 11 charges, including:

• Corruption
• Causing financial loss
• Electronic fraud
• Money laundering

Background of the Case

Preliminary investigations by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) indicate that in September 2024, funds mysteriously disappeared from the Bank of Uganda (BoU) and were transferred to foreign accounts in the United Kingdom (UK) and Asian countries, including Japan.

Initially, the incident was suspected to be a cyberattack. However, a forensic review by CID’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) division later determined that the funds had been fraudulently redirected through an internal scheme. This revelation prompted President Yoweri Museveni to order the involvement of Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS) (formerly the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI)) in the probe.

By the end of 2024, at least 21 staff members from BoU, the Ministry of Finance, and the Accountant General’s office had been interrogated. Authorities also confiscated and examined their electronic devices, including mobile phones and laptops.

Investigations have so far revealed that out of the UGX 60 billion (approximately $15.7 million) lost, BoU was able to recover more than half through negotiations with UK banks. However, efforts to reclaim funds transferred to Asian countries have been unsuccessful.

Authorities suspect that a portion of the stolen money, instead of remaining abroad, may have been withdrawn and secretly returned to Ugandan beneficiaries in cash or through assets purchased on their behalf.

The investigation remains ongoing.