KAMPALA – The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has convicted Makerere University Deputy Academic Registrar Margaret Etuusa Lubega on four counts of abuse of office contrary to section 11(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.
Margaret has been banned from holding public office for a period of ten years from date of ruling.
“Under Section 46 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009, the convict is hereby disqualified from holding a public office for a period of 10 years from today,” Justice ruled.
Margaret was in 2017 removed from office for irregularly procuring companies and people to provide different services for the said graduation ceremony, such as phone keeping, drinks, food and flower vending without following procurement laws.
On February15, 2017 at Makerere University, while employed as deputy academic registrar, Margaret contracted Exxon Contractors Ltd to provide phone-keeping services during the graduation ceremony.
The deputy academic registrar as well contracted JAALC Uganda Limited to provide drinks and food vending services at the graduation ceremony yet the university had prohibited food, drinks, phones and cameras at the ceremony.
She also contravened procurement laws and regulations by procuring the services of Milton Egayu to provide flower vending services at the ceremony.
Giving her ruling on Wednesday, Lady Justice Margaret Tibulya said, “There is sufficient evidence that the accused awarded the contract to supply flower vending services to Milton Egayu and I accordingly enter convictions for abuse of office against the accused on each of the counts 1,2, 3 and 4.”
The judge consequently sentenced the victim to a fine of shs1 million for each of the four counts or be jailed two years.
However, she chose to pay the shs4 million fine and was released from prison.
“She has paid a total of Shs 4,000,000 (Four million shillings) vide General Receipt No. Y2338348 dated 1st September 2021. She is accordingly released.”
