Minister Kasolo furious over release of man who embezzled Emyooga cash

The Minister of State for Microfinance, Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo has promised to follow up a matter in which court in Buyende for granted  bail to Patrick Kiwanuka, the treasurer of Budiope East taxi drivers Emyooga sacco accused of embezzling funds meant for the program.

Kasolo who on Tuesday was in Buyende district to monitor the performance of Emyooga  was informed Kiwanuka had connived with others and withdrew the money he used to buy a lorry.

The Buyende District Police Commander, Joram Byamushana said  Kiwanuka together with signatories to the sacco account withdrew shs34 million shillings he  culprit deceived his colleagues to allow him stay with the money but couldn’t account for it.

"They withdrew that money in the evening, and I think he already had the idea to steal it  since he was the treasurer. He fooled his colleagues that it was late in the evening, and proposed to stay with the money at his home for the night. What happened is that the next morning, he deposited that money on his Centenary Bank Account. He then hid from his colleagues, and could hardly be found. They would find him after four days. They discovered that he had withdrawn the money from his Centenary Bank Account, and had bought a lorry," said Byamushana.

Other sacco leaders and members reported the matter to the police which hunted and arrested Kiwanuka.

In his recorded statement at the Police, Kiwanuka denied any wrong doing, saying he bought the lorry with his own money, and was willing to refund the money to the sacco.

It was later found out that the culprit had connived and transferred the lorry's details to his father's name..

"What we did, we towed the lorry, and parked it at the police station," said DPC Byamushana.

His father would then came to Buyende Police Station to claim the lorry as his own, but after the Police questioned how he owned it, and declined to release it, Kiwanuka's father went to court and opened a case.

The court would  later release Kiwanuka on bail, and also ordered the release of the lorry.

"He is out on bail. As of today, the file is in the anti-corruption court in Kololo [Kampala]. So, this case is beyond Buyende as a district. It is now at the national level," the DPC said.

Speaking in response, Minister Kasolo said he would follow up on the matter and have the money recovered from Kiwanuka.

"Police, I want you to get me a reference to that file. When I go back to Kampala, I will follow up on the matter. I will reach out to whoever is necessary in this matter. Even if it means talking to the head of the judiciary, the Chief Justice, we are going to do it. I want to assure you, we will do whatever it takes, follow up on this matter, and have the money recovered," said Kasolo.

He said it is not right for government money to be wasted in such a manner and the culprits walk scot free.

Kasolo was told that the two constituencies in Buyende received shs1.12 billion in seed capital and the Emyooga saccos have so far made savings worth shs519.9 million.