KAMPALA — Four Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) officials who were arrested last week in food relief procurement scandal will today Tuesday, April 14 be produced to court, the Office of Director of Public Prosecution has said.
The four will be taken to Buganda Road Court, the office of the DPP added.
The group that includes PS Ms. Christine Guwatudde Kintu, the Under Secretary Mr. Joel Wanjala, Assistant Commissioner Procurement Mr. Fred Lutimba, and the Commissioner disaster management Mr. Martin Owor, spent the Easter holiday at SIU Kireka where they were taken on Friday.
The officials are accused of key among others inflating food prices for the COVID-19 relief programme.
President Museveni sanctioned the operation following intelligence reports that officials at the OPM had frustrated other lower bidders in the relief aid programme, State House Anti-corruption unit headed by President Museveni’s military assistant Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema said in a statement after effecting the arrests last week.
It is reported that the government contracted a supplier who took the samples of posho and beans to the President Museveni who then gave the deal a green light.
Sources added that supplier made a quotation that was allegedly altered and inflated by officials.
“On Wednesday 8th April 2020, following a directive by H.E the President of Uganda, General Yoweri Museveni, the anti-corruption unit under Article 99 (4) of the Constitutional of Uganda in liaison with the Criminal Investigations acting under 120 (3), we carried out a special investigation on the ongoing COVID-19 related food procurement exercise in OPM,” Lt. Col. Nakalema said on Thursday April 09.
She added that the preliminary findings confirm that the arrested officers were indeed inflating prices and rejecting the lower prices offers from various suppliers of maize, flour and beans.
