MARACHA, UGANDA: Mr Paul Walakira, the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) in Maracha district has been arrested for failing to interdict the six officials being investigated over the alleged mismanagement of shs1.9bn meant for the construction of Kololo Public Seed Secondary School.
Mr. Walakira was picked up from his home in Koboko district where he has been hiding from for the last three days without stepping into office.
He was arrested this morning (Friday) at about 8:00 am by Inspectorate of Government (IG) officials after failing to implement the earlier directive issued to him to interdict the said officials.
In a letter dated September 7, 2022, Walakira was directed to interdict Timothy Malumah Ezati, the Acting District Engineer/Water Officer, Stephen Candia, the Chief Finance Officer, Flavia Osoa, the District Education Officer, Paul Abiribale, the District Internal Auditor, William Oneti, the Senior Assistant Engineer and Robert Ezati, also the Senior Assistant Engineer.
“The Inspectorate of Government together with State House Anti–Corruption Unit and the Police Criminal Investigations Directorate are conducting investigations into allegations of abuse of office and causing financial loss amounting to UGX1,900,000,000 being funds meant for construction of Kololo Seed School,” the letter written by Anne Twinomugisha Muhairwe, the Deputy IGG read in part.
“In view of the above, you are hereby directed to immediately interdict the following persons (Timothy Ezati, Stephen Candia, Flavia Osoa, Paul Abiribale, William Oneti and Robert Ezati) without any further delay,” the IGG directed.
However, Walakira disregarded the directive and left the officials to continue with their normal duties thus leading to his arrest.
Festus Ayikobua, the Maracha Resident District Commissioner (RDC) confirmed the arrest and said Walakira was picked from his home in Koboko where he has been since Tuesday claiming he is for official duty in Kampala.
“When I was with the CAO for a workshop, it was on Tuesday that he abandoned the workshop by around 11:00am and then his driver told my driver that they were driving to Kampala kumbe they were not going to Kampala. He was just driving back to his home which is in Koboko and just sit in his house where he was arrested from,” Ayikobua said.
Ayikobua emphasized that Walakira was arrested by IGG officials from Kampala together with the IGG team in the region for failing to obey their directive to interdict the said officials.
“As we talk now, IGG officials drove with Walakira directly to Arua. I strongly believe from Arua, the IGG told me that they were going to have a press conference to let the wanaichi (locals) know that what he did has cost him his arrest and they even want the family to know why he was arrested,” Ayikobua stated.
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