Kampala, (UG):- The Ministry of Trade Permanent Secretary, Geraldine Busuulwa Ssali has been arrested and charged before the Anti-Corruption Court over abuse of office, causing financial loss, and conspiracy to defraud.
Police had earlier summoned Ssali over the mismanagement of funds meant to compensate cooperative unions and associations for their losses during previous wars in Uganda.
In one of the alarming scandals, the Bwavumpologoma Growers Cooperative Union received compensation worth UGX 2.744 Bn from the government. Of this, UGX 936 Million was given to Mr Victor Busuulwa as a “token of appreciation”. The union even gave a loan to him Busuulwa of UGX 150 Million in cash, making a total of UGX 1.086 Bn.
This website has established that Mr Busuulwa is Geraldine Ssali’s husband, hence the name Geraldine Busuulwa Ssali.
The PS joins MPs; Michael Mawanda Maranga, Mudiimi Wamakuyu, Paul Akamba, Lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankonko and Leonard Kavundira a Ministry of Trade official who were earlier charged for the diversion of over UGX3.4B meant for war loss compensation by Government to Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society.
Case Background
Parliament’s October 2023 report sanctioned by Speaker Anita Among on 25 August 2023 faulted Saali’s Ministry for making fraudulent payments totalling 48.77 billion Shillings worth of compensation paid between FY 2019/2020 and 2022/2023 either in excess or completely outside the amounts allocated to specific Cooperatives in the Ministry’s work plan.
The Committee cited Cooperatives that were illegally paid including Lambuli Central Pulpery Cooperative Society 4.70 billion; Jinja Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd 4.8 billion; Buyaka Cooperative Society 3.5 billion; Masaaba Cooperative Union 5 billion; Bumwambu Cooperative Society Ltd 6 billion; Masaka Cooperative Union by 7 billion and Bwavumpologoma Growers Cooperative Union Ltd 2.75 billion.
Among others, the Committee also recommended that Ssali be investigated by the DPP with the view of prosecution under Section 79 of the Public Finance Management Act, 2015 for unlawfully authorizing 1.74 billion Shillings payment of Okoro Coffee Growers Cooperative Union Limited in Zombo before its verification.
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