Prof Wasswa Balunywa
HABARI DAILY I Kampala, Uganda I As the Government moves to clean up public offices of corrupt officials, the former Makerere University Business School (MUBS) principal, Professor Wasswa Balunywa has become one of the first victims.
Balunya’s arrest followed issuance of criminal summons against the don by Chief Magistrate, Racheal Nakyazze, for him to appear in court today for not showing up to answer to the charges.
Earlier on, Asuman Matovu, the lawyer representing Balunywa informed court that the later failed to turn up in the court to answer charges of abuse of office because he was unwell.
Balunywa, 68, who led MUBS for more than two decades until his retirement in 2022, is accused of “arbitrarily” recruiting three individuals as administrative assistants between February and April 2023 despite knowing they lacked the minimum academic qualifications.
Prosecutors allege that Balunywa between March 15th 2023 and April 13th 2023, in abuse of his office, recruited James Arike, Nuwagira Nathan and Nimrod Kakayi as administrative assistants, well knowing that they lacked sufficient academic qualifications for the said positions, thereby creating ineligible costs for the Government.
Balunywa, who was charged together with Jacqueline Namaganda, the former MUBS acting Human Resource Director and current Chief Assurance Officer, who is accused of neglect of duty, contrary to Section 101 of the Anti-Corruption Act.
Namaganda is currently out on a cash bail of Shs 4million, while her surities were directed to execute a non cash bond of Shs 50 million. He faces three counts of abuse of office under section 10(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act. He has denied wrongdoing.
Officials from various Government agencies including Uganda Civil Aviation Authority (UCAA) and Uganda Police Force are part of a racket that has cost the Government over Shs 53b. According to preliminary investigations conducted by the Police’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) revealed that the money was paid to ghost workers in the different entities.
Jane Frances Abodo, the Director of Public Prosecutions consented to the charges after investigations by the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
The magistrate ordered Balunywa’s remand at Luzira Prison pending further hearings.
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