The trial of jailed former principal accountant in prime minister’s office, Geoffrey Kazinda over stealing government money has been differed after the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) said they did not have a witness.
At Wednesday’s illicit enrichment trial of Kazinda by the Anti- Corruption Court in Kololo, Kampala, Sarah Birungi, IGG’s director of legal affairs told Justice Margaret Tibulya that she needed more time to enable prosecution produce witnesses.
Justice Tibulya then postponed the trial to March 2017 but Kazinda has always denied the charges.
Prosecution alleges that between 2009 and 2012, Kazinda maintained a standard of living above that commensurate with his income or assets whose sum was established by the Inspectorate of Government to be about Shs83 million when he rented and occupied a suite at Golden Leaves, now Constellation Suites, Nakasero for 10 months at a Shs210 million.
It is also alleged that in the same years, Kazinda was in control and possession of property in Bukoto, Sabaddu- Kyadondo and Mengo whose value was established to be more than Shs3 billion, which was disproportionate to his then current and past known sources of income and assets.
He was also reportedly found with four motor vehicles which cost over Shs769m.
Mr Kazinda is facing 69 corruption charges relating to the misappropriation of more than Shs5.4b meant for post-war reconstruction in northern Uganda and Karamoja sub-regions under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan.
The embattled accountant is also facing charges of forgery of fuel vouchers, where government vehicles are purported to have consumed fuel worth Shs316 million from a filling station whereas not.
Kazinda is already serving a five-year jail term for forging the signature of his former boss, Mr Pius Bigirimana, the then OPM permanent secretary.