The Anti-Corruption Court has sentenced the Member of Parliament for Pallisa District, Hon. Otukol Samuel, alongside three others, over charges of causing financial loss, theft, and conspiracy to defraud.
Those convicted include Odap Francis, a director in Samix Uganda Ltd and Zedkol Financial Services and former Chief Administrative Officer (CAO); Wamburu Willy, Acting Chief Financial Officer of Namisindwa District; and Osire Ezekiel, Director of Zedkol Financial Services.
Odap Francis was handed concurrent sentences of 12, 14, and 8 months on counts of causing financial loss, and 12 and 14 months on counts of conspiracy to defraud. He will serve a total of 14 months in prison.
Wamburu Willy received concurrent sentences of 12, 15, and 10 months for causing financial loss, and 12 and 15 months for conspiracy to defraud, resulting in a 15-month jail term.
Hon. Otukol Samuel was sentenced to 18 months and 2 years’ imprisonment on theft charges, as well as 18 months and 2 years for conspiracy to defraud.
The court also ordered Otukol to compensate Namisindwa District Local Government UGX 307,698,858. This includes UGX 202,483,413 lost through Samix Uganda Ltd and UGX 105,215,445, representing half of the funds lost through Zedkol Financial Services.
Osire Ezekiel was fined UGX 3.5 million and UGX 3 million on separate counts and ordered to refund UGX 105,215,445 to Namisindwa District.
In delivering the sentence on Wednesday, the court considered the roles played by each convict and the abuse of positions of trust. Odap was faulted for approving fictitious invoices that caused financial loss, while Wamburu was found to have initiated the fraudulent transactions.
The court declined to order compensation from Odap and Wamburu, noting that the stolen funds were received by Otukol and Osire. It concluded that the penalties imposed were sufficient to serve the ends of justice.
