Kampala, (UG):- The former Head of Verification at the Bank of Uganda (BoU) Mr Charles Kasede Ochieng has been sentenced to serve three years in prison after he was convicted by the Anti Corruption Court for theft of the bank’s currency notes.
The Anti-Corruption Court that sat on October 31, 2024, presided over by Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe convicted Ochieng of abuse of office but acquitted him on the embezzlement charge due to lack of evidence.
Asiimwe however clarified that the allegation that Ochieng stole sh474m was not proved, as the prosecution failed to present any evidence showing that the bank incurred such a loss. She further stated that, upon review, the prosecution revised the alleged amount to sh62m, yet did not provide supporting evidence.
Despite this, the court found sufficient proof of abuse of office, particularly through CCTV footage that showed Ochieng pocketing old currency notes intended for disposal.
The footage presented by the prosecution showed Ochieng carefully looking around before taking the notes. He was seen placing bundles of money into his pocket and discreetly walking away. The court determined that these actions violated his role, classifying it as an arbitrary abuse of his official position.
From November 2018 to August 2019, while working as Head of the Verification Unit at the BoU’s Mbale branch, Ochieng engaged in actions that led to his conviction.
Magistrate Asiimwe stated that the prosecution had proven beyond reasonable doubt that Ochieng abused his office. “This court finds that the ingredient of the offence of abuse of office has been proved and hereby convicts the accused as charged,” Asiimwe declared.
The State Attorney Nicholas Kawooya, who represented the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), called for a sentence of three and a half years, citing a breach of trust by Ochieng.
Kawooya emphasized the seriousness of the crime, noting that as a verification officer, Ochieng held a role of integrity in a crucial institution that upholds the country’s monetary system. Kawooya argued that Ochieng’s act of taking old notes designated for destruction demonstrated corrupt intent and damaged BoU’s trust in its employees.
According to Uganda’s sentencing guidelines, the offence of abuse of office carries a maximum penalty of seven years, with three and a half years as the starting point. Kawooya noted that a significant sentence was warranted to reflect the gravity of the offence.
However, Magistrate Asiimwe agreed with the prosecution, emphasising the importance of sending a clear message that abuse of office is a serious crime warranting punishment to deter potential offenders.
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