Police recover shs600m from UPPC corruption suspects

Detectives from the Crime Investigations Division of Police have Wednesday recovered shs600 million cash money from suspects involved in Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation (UPPC) fraud.

The recovered money is part of the shs3 billion that the suspects including UPPC’s Managing Director, Prof. Waswa Tomas Davis are alleged to have looted from the corporation.

Today, CID spokesperson, Charles Twiine confirmed that shs600 million of the embezzled money had been recovered by the CID detectives.

“Detectives at CID headquarters have recovered shs600 million from some suspects of Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation. The money which was destined for another accomplice in crime, was part of the shs3 billion loot that had passed through an account of a fictitious Commission agent.” Twiine said on Twitter.

Last week, Twiine confirmed that police detectives at CID headquarters had arrested UPPC’s MD Waswa Tomas over alleged embezzlement of shs3 billion of UPPC’s money. He added that other culprits would be pursued.

UPPC board members have for long been on spot over corruption and mismanagement allegations at the government corporation.

Following increased public outcry, Minister of Presidency, Milly Babalanda on August 17, visited UPPC offices where she declared that the corporation’s board be suspended to pave way for smooth investigations into corruption, abuse of office and mismanagement allegations.

“Using my powers as Line Minister under Sec.6 of the UPPC Act, yesterday I temporarily suspended the M.D and Board of UPPC. The action is intended to pave way for investigations into allegations of corruption and forgery. All other staff is urged to continue working normally,” Babalanda tweeted on August, 18.

https://twitter.com/millybabalanda/status/1430167382941741060?s=21

Babalanda had also halted all board’s activities including all transactions and procurement projects, further appointing former UNATU boss James Tweheyo to take over as the meantime’s MD.

The suspension of UPPC’s board was followed with minister Babalanda’s directive to the CID to investigate the alleged embezzlement at the corporation.

Prof. Waswa Tomas Davis, alongside Kitamuweesi Musubire (Chairman Board of Directors), Moreen Nyakato (Ag. Corporation Secretary) and Andrew Senabulya (Senior Internal Auditor are suspected of embezzling of shs3 billion of the corporation’s money.

Established in 1992, UPPC is a public enterprise that is fully owned by government under the UPPC Act, Cap 330.

The corporation is responsible for printing of all bills, statutes and official Gazette. Due to its huge role, Cabinet classified it under Class I among those public bodies that government has to retain full ownership of.