Mrs.Nyeko Ponziano, the former Assistant Commissioner Accounts/ head of accounts section of Mulago National Referral Hospital has been remanded to Luzira Prison on charges of corruption and involvement in irregular payments.
The accused with other former employees and directors are said to have engaged in a scheme to defraud the hospital where they irregularly paid billions of money to private companies, Setramaco International Limited and Convention World Limited.
They were aligned to the Anti-corruption court in Nakasero where magistrate Abert Asiimwe remanded them until July 25 for his bail ruling.
Among others sent toluzira are; Dr Byarugaba Baterana (former hospital’s executive director), Eng Edward Kataha, a former senior hospital engineer, Kenneth Wafula (former senior hospital administrator), Christopher Okware (former head of procurement and disposal unit), Adah Kamucunguzi (former procurement officer),Perezi Batanda, an assistant Engineer Bugema Village along Mbale-Tororo Road and Directors of Setramaco Limited and Convention World Limited, Robert Wasike and Catherine Winfred Nabwire.
According to Prosecution, Kataha and Okware abused their authority of office by irregularly requisitioning for a total of Shs3 billion to be paid to Setramaco International Limited for purported supply of consumables without following the established public procurement procedures.
This happened during the financial year 2015/2016 and 2016/17 but in financial year 2019 and 2020 at Mulago Hospital in Kampala, Dr Baterana, Nyeko and Mwasa irregularly processed payment of Shs1.581 billion to Setramaco International Limited for routine servicing of autoclave without following the proper procedures for processing public payments.
They will be back to court on July 25th for bail hearing.
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