Ggoobi Vs Ssemakula: Blunders, Selective Prosecution, Malice, Face-Saving Shroud the Infamous BOU UGX60BN Heist Investigations

KAMPALA, Uganda: The corridors of power at Uganda’s Ministry of Finance are still shaken as investigations into the Bank of Uganda (BoU) UGX60BN heist takes form. The media is still humming with reports of high-profile arrests, including that of Accountant General (AG) Lawrence Ssemakula. However, the speed and manner in which the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) executed his arrest have left many questions unanswered, raising suspicions of a premeditated smear campaign.

Was Ssemakula the Right Target?

Ssemakula, as the AG, is the overall supervisor of the Accountant General’s Office (AGO). However, during the financial year when the fraudulent transactions occurred, it is legitimately reported, he had long relinquished his role as Accounting Officer for Vote 130 – Treasury Operations, the very vote from which the misappropriated funds originated.

This brings to question the basis of his arrest! How could he be held accountable for actions outside his direct jurisdiction! Earlier in January 2024, its further reported, a similar incident was promptly addressed by Ssemakula, who escalated the matter to the Permanent Secretary and Secretary to Treasury, Ramathan Ggoobi. His memo recommending a corrective action has, curiously, since gone missing within the ministry’s records. This, no doubt, gives credence to reports of the same having been deliberately erased to justify his arrest.

Blunders and Selective Investigations

Several red flags suggest a calculated effort to implicate the person of Ssemakula while shielding others. For starters, reports are rife that the Finance Ministry’s Integrated Security Network (ISN), which was reportedly hacked, had its license expired at the time of the breach, leaving the system vulnerable. The responsibility to renew the license directly falls under the Undersecretary roles, yet the same remains holly before police investigations.

Other insider sources insinuate how CCTV cameras at the Treasury were mysteriously switched off on the day the transactions took place. But the police are yet to look into such a crucial lapse! Furthermore, while Ssemakula and his team face intense scrutiny, BoU officials, whose email system was also hacked, and the same Parliament found important to interrogate, have not been questioned!

The fraudulent transaction was reportedly authorized via a fake email address; [email protected], instead of [email protected], indicating a deliberate attempt to mislead AGO officials. Interestingly, the CID is yet to interest themselves in this anomaly! Then enters the unregistered suppliers.

The scandal involves payments to foreign suppliers not registered on the government’s supplier list, a safeguard against fraud. This significant oversight, it is overly claimed, has not been a point of interest for investigators!

Without covering their traits, Ramathan Ggoobi rushed to mention an Acting Accountant General even before Ssemakula was charged before Court! One wonders how prepared Ggoobi was for the new development! Several inconsistencies point to the excessively said strained relationship between Ssemakula and Ramathan Ggoobi.

For instance, during a top technical meeting chaired by Ggoobi himself on February 23^rd 2024, Ssemakula is said to have raised concerns over a system breach before calling for a joint review with BoU. Surprisingly, no decisive action was taken afterward.

To cap his vendetta with a firm rid, Ggoobi has reportedly declared that Ssemakula will not return to office while he remains in charge! Never mind that the Accountant General’s appointment is a constitutional matter under the President’s authority. One ought to wonder from where Ggoobi derive such powers! Indeed, it is a known fact withing the Ministry corridors that Ssemakula and Ggoobi have had longstanding professional differences, particularly on policy and procedural matters.

Who Benefits from Ssemakula’s Downfall?

Beyond the glaring loopholes in the investigation, another troubling aspect emerges. Key suspects like Mubarak Nassamba, a prime suspect in the transaction, was detained alongside Ssemakula but later released under dubious circumstances, with his name missing on the chargesheet. Mubarak is known to have close ties to Mariam Nakimwero, the official responsible for making the fraudulent payments at BoU.

It takes an illusional mind to ignore the fact that the latest Auditor General’s report does not mention Ssemakula’s name, yet it is the same on which CID based to justify his arrest. The sudden and aggressive investigation has not only targeted Ssemakula but also Jennifer Muhuruzi, another senior official and a known personal friend to Ggoobi. It is like Ssemakula is paying for having placed Muhuruzi in the line of fire by appointing her the incharge of Vote 130 without Ggoobi`s knowledge!

Yet, right-thinking Ugandans, concerned citizens, taxpayers, and observers seem not to take it lying down. Even those not known to Ssemakula are ganging up by day, demanding for fairness and transparency in the on-going investigation. “If accountability is truly the goal, then CID should investigate why unregistered foreign suppliers were paid, the missing memo from Ssemakula to Ggoobi must be retrieved and examined and the CCTV footage from the day of the transaction should be reviewed,” said one of the outspoken activists.

In the same breadth, BoU officials should be interrogated with the same vigor as Finance Ministry officials. Again, the toxic relationship between Ggoobi and Ssemakula should be scrutinized as a possible motive behind the case. The role of Mubarak and his links to Nakimwero, along with another Ggoobi`s friend, a one Lukeman, should be thoroughly investigated. Watch this space…

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Stanley Ndawula: Stanley Ndawula is a two and a half decades’ seasoned investigative journalist with a knack for serious crimes investigations and reporting. He’s the Founding Editorial Director and CEO at The Investigator Publications (U) Limited