FORTPORTAL-UGANDA/NEWSDAY: Seven officials of Fort Portal district have been arrested over allegations of impropriety and corruption.
They were arrested on Wednesday by the State House Anti Corruption Unit (SH-ACU).
SH-ACU working with the Uganda Police arrested five Fort Portal City and Kabarole district land officials, including Area land Committee members of the former West Division Fort Portal (now Central Division) Fort Portal City, for allegedly conniving to sell public land at Millane Access along the River Mpanga.
They reportedly sold the land to businessman Balinda Abasi.
The suspects include Baguma David Mwesige – Chairperson Area Land Committee, West Division, Musana Samuel -Senior Physical Planner, Fort Portal City, Kugonza Simon Peter -District Staff Surveyor, Nansubuga Sumini -Senior Staff Surveyor Kabarole MZO (Ministry Zonal Office) and Bwango Jessy Smart, the Secretary, District Land Board Kabarole.
The officials allegedly approved Mr. Balinda’s application without inspection, despite the fact that the land is within River Mpanga protected borders and should not be occupied.
The Ministry Zonal Office’s District Staff Surveyor and Senior Staff Surveyor did not double-check the application to identify the junior officers’ omissions and errors. The Secretary District Land Board did not also advise on the irregularities in the application, including Mr. Balinda’s claim of customarily owning the land, whereas not.
Additionally, the Unit, in collaboration with Uganda Police on September 29th, 2022 detained two suspects, Richard Alituha – Principle Education Officer, and Kirungi Annet – Former Head of Finance, on allegations of mismanagement of over UGX180 million in Capitation grants for Fort Portal City schools and tertiary institutions for the Financial Year 2021/2022.
Other suspects Mugenyi Gerald- Senior Accounts Assistant, and Moses Tibihika Theophiccus- Accounting Officer, are still at large.