By Leilah Bbaale
The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has handed down a three-year jail sentence to Godfrey Musinguzi, the Principal Human Resource Officer of Kagadi District, after convicting him on charges of abuse of office. Presided over by Justice Lawrence Gidudu, the court also imposed a ban on Musinguzi from holding any public office for the next 10 years.
The court heard that while serving as the Principal Human Resource Officer for Kagadi District Local Government, Musinguzi inappropriately accessed the District Payroll and included 60 personnel, primarily Education Assistants, who had not been appointed by the District Service Commission.
The prosecution presented evidence that Musinguzi conspired with Fredrick Balemeezi, the Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, who issued appointment letters to the unauthorized personnel without the knowledge of the District Service Commission.
Balemeezi had previously pleaded guilty and was convicted under a plea bargain arrangement, resulting in a fine. The third suspect in the case, Bukenya Bartholomew, the District Education Officer, was acquitted after being found not guilty of the charges against him.
During the sentencing of Musinguzi, Justice Gidudu stated that his actions were marked by impunity, leading to unauthorized individuals receiving salaries from the District. The judge emphasized that the country is currently undergoing an audit of civil servants and cautioned human resource officers nationwide not to tamper with the Integrated Personnel and Payroll System (IPPS).
The successful prosecution of this case was led by James Khaukha James, a State Attorney attached to the Anti-corruption Department of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
