By Angel Lubowa
COURT
The anti graft agencies have arraigned Sitakange Charles, Assistant District Engineer Civil Works, at Mpigi Chief Magistrate’s Court on charges of Theft of fuel.
He denied the changes and was remanded until 22/07/2025.
The accused and Kyambadde Sam, the Ag. District Engineer who is still on the run, in the F/Y 2023-2024 in Mpigi Town Council in Mpigi District allegedly stole 21 739 liters of fuel valued worth UGX 242,022,500/= meant for road works under the UGX 1 Billion Road Maintenance Grant.
The engineers stole the fuel by first inflating fuel required for different road projects and then later conniving with different fuel station managers to breach control measures in place to draw the excess fuel from the stations.
To cover up their theft, the engineers would account for the irregularly drawn fuel using registration numbers of vehicles that were grounded and not in operation, for instance, Tipper Reg No. LG 0002-082 that was grounded and not in use since 2022 was used to draw fuel to the tune of 18.5m.
The engineers would also use the numbers of vehicles in other departments and those that don’t belong to the district which were not involved in any road works to fictitiously account for the stolen fuel and upto UGX 90,000,000/= was lost in this scam.
Investigations also revealed that one of the roads planned to be implemented that financial year Kyansoozi – Kampiringisa – Muyiira Road estimated to cost of UGX 97,000,000 was not worked on at all and the money for it stolen despite district officials reporting that works on the road were concluded.
This case follows an earlier investigation in Busia district, a month ago, where officials of Busia Municipal Council were charged in court for similar abuses of fuel under 1Bn Grant disbursed to the Municipality.
Similar investigations are ongoing in other local governments and are part of a new focus by SH-ACU on the 1Bn Grant after receipt of several complaints alleging mismanagement of the same in various local governments.
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