Pension suspects released on police bond

Kampala

Police at the Criminal Investigations and intelligence Directorate (CIID) yesterday released four suspects who had been re-arrested for the second time in less than a month, on police bond.

However, the four including all other suspects implicated in the pension scam are required to appear at the CIID headquarters in Kibuli tomorrow (Friday).

The four who include, Mr Christopher Obey, the interdicted principal accountant for pension, Mr David
Oloka, the senior account for pension, Mr Peter Ssajabi the national secretary for East Africa Community beneficiary association and Mr Steven Lwanga also an accountant in the Public Service ministry, were arrested on Monday following fresh evidence allegedly linking them to more tax payers money that was lost to ghost pensioners.

The release followed the suspects recording charge and caution statements and fresh charges being preferred against them.

Police preferred charges of abuse of office, causing financial loss and fraud on Mr Obey, Oloka and Lwanga, while Mr Ssajabi was charged with conspiracy to de-fraud.

The fresh charges are in relation to investigations into more than $131,000 (Shs321 million) allegedly paid to ghost foreign pensioners at the beginning of this year. According to preliminary investigations, detectives from the Criminal investigations and Intelligence Directorate (CIID) found, out of the Shs321 million, $87,438 (Shs282.5 million) was allegedly withdrawn from Cairo International Bank by Mr Oloka, who received the power of attorney from Mr Obey and was approved by Mr Ssajabi.

The four, who were recently released after two weeks of detention over alleged illicit accumulation of wealth, are alleged to have connived with other officials from Cairo International Bank, Bank of Uganda and Ministry of Finance and stole billions of tax payers’ money under the guise of paying pensioners.

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