The Anti-corruption court in Kololo has today started hearing evidence against 3 Bank of Uganda officials who are accused of allowing unauthorized cargo on a chartered plane carrying Bank of Uganda printed material(money) last year.
Prosecution instigated by the Director of Public Prosecutions has presented its first and key witness Milton Baluku who was the head of currency department in Bank of Uganda at the time of the commission of the alleged offence .
Baluku has been testifying against the ; The director of currency in bank of Uganda Charles Akol Malinga who is said to have failed to ensure that the terms of a contract signed between the Central Bank and a French money printing company – Oberthur Fudicaire deliver printed material was well executed .
Prosecution says Malinga had been assigned a duty of contract manger to over see the entire contract.
Malinga is on trial jointly with Francis Kakeeto and Wayama Fred who are accused of failing to report the inclusion of extra -cargo on the BOU chartered plane.
The suspects are alleged to have committed the offenses between 1st /March and April this year between Bank of Uganda, France, Beligium and Entebbe International Airport .
Baluku has told court that on the instructions of his bosses; he led the team of 37 officers that went to Entebbe Airport to pick the BOU Cargo and transport it to Kampala Branch.
Baluku currently working as the Branch Manager Arua has confirmed to Court that apart from the 20 pallets for Bank of Uganda; there was extra cargo of 5 pallets on the said plane that didn’t belong to Bank of Uganda; but that it was not printed money rather having inscriptions on the packaging that read as Spare Parts, Communication equipment; Personal effects and Consolidated Items among others.
He has testified that however this placed the 1400 boxes of 70 million notes of Bank of Uganda printed currency at a risk; because he didn’t expect the printing company,” Oberture Fiduciaire” to allow a plane carrying Bank of Uganda cargo to also carry other materials.
Further hearing of this case has been adjourned to 23rd and 30th/ March/2021.
The accused persons have since denied the allegation and are coming from home to attend trial having denied the offences they allegedly committed between 1st /March and April this year between Bank of Uganda, France, Beligium and Entebbe International Airport .
