UGANDA: Seven pension scam suspects out on bond

By Dear Jeanne

Seven of the 17 pension scam suspects who were re-arrested two weeks ago have been released on bond. Mr Christopher Obey, Mr David Oloka, Mr Steven Lwanga, Mr Peter Ssajabi, Mr Isaac Ssentogo, Mr Francis Lubega and Mr Fred Tumusiime had been rearrested on fresh charges of illicit accumulation of wealth.

Their release comes two days after Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Sylvia Nabaggala ordered the director of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Directorate, Ms Grace Akullo, and the commandant Special Investigation Unit, Ms Beata Chelimo, to immediate release of Mr Obey and Mr Oloka.

Ms Akullo confirmed the release, saying investigations are still ongoing in both charges of the Shs169 billion pensions fund loss and the illicit accumulation of wealth.

The CIID, in coordination with SIU, have been tracing for assets belonging to Mr Obey and Mr Oloka, both principal accountants in the Public Service ministry.

By yesterday, police had recovered 80 per cent of the property and companies alleged to belong to the duo as well as documents connecting them to a number for properties and companies in and out of Kampala.

Police have also searched some property belonging to Mr Ssajabi, the Nation Secretary East Africa Beneficiary Association and is now tracing for Mr Ssentongo’s wealth. The latter is the assistant operations manager at Cairo International Bank.

According to preliminary investigations, Mr Ssentogo is believed to have worked with Mr Ssajabi to create accounts for more than 1,000 ghost pensioners and at some instance, allegedly changed account numbers and transferred some of the funds to his accounts.

Mr Ssajabi joined EACBA in 1994 to help put pressure on government to pay pension and gratuity to former workers for the East African Community.

Source: Daily Monitor (16/11/2012): http://www.monitor.co.ug/News/National/Seven-pension-scam-suspects-out-on-bond/-/688334/1621220/-/tdjjp3z/-/index.html