Makerere registrar in graduation saga banned from holding public office for 10 years
The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has banned a Makerere University Academic registrar convicted for abuse of office by contravening procurement laws, regulations and procedures during the University’s 67th graduation ceremony in 2017 from holding office for 10 years.
Margaret Etuusa Lubega Loy was in 2017 removed from office for irregularly procuring companies and people to provide different services for the said graduation ceremony, such as phone keeping, drinks, food and flower vending without following procurement laws.
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On February15, 2017 at Makerere University, while employed as deputy academic registrar, Etuusa contracted Exxon Contractors Ltd to provide phone-keeping services during the graduation ceremony.
The deputy academic registrar as well contracted JAALC Uganda Limited to provide drinks and food vending services at the graduation ceremony yet the university had prohibited food, drinks, phones and cameras at the ceremony.
She also contravened procurement laws and regulations by procuring the services of Milton Egayu to provide flower vending services at the ceremony.
On Wednesday, Etuusa was convicted by Justice Margaret Tibulya on four counts of abuse of office contrary to section 11(i) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.
“There is sufficient evidence that the accused awarded the contract to supply flower vending services to Milton Egayu and I accordingly enter convictions for abuse of office against the accused on each of the counts 1,2, 3 and 4,”the judge said.
Sentence
The judge consequently sentenced Etuusa to a fine of shs1 million for each of the four counts or be jailed two years.
However, Etuusa chose to pay the shs4 million fine and was released from prison.
The judge however added another punishment onto the convict and barred her from holding any public office for 10 years.
“Under Section 46 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009, the convict is hereby disqualified from holding a public office for a period of 10 years from today,” Justice Margaret Tibulya ruled.
