Kazinda convicted for theft of fuel

Kazinda convicted for theft of fuel

The Anti-Corruption Court has convicted Geoffrey Kazinda, the former Principal Accountant in the Office of the Prime Minister and three others for the theft of more than Shillings 316 million meant for fuel. The others are Beatrice Kezabu, the former Resettlement Officer in the Office of the Prime Minister, Shamim Masembe, the Proprietor of Total Fuel Station Ntinda and Manager, Hussein Katumwa.

In his judgment delivered this morning, Justice Lawrence Gidudu of the Anti-Corruption Court found Kazinda and Kezabu guilty of embezzling more than Shillings 316million meant for fuel for the post-war reconstruction scheme in Northern Uganda and Karamoja sub-region under the Peace, Recovery and Development Plan.

“It has been proved that Kazinda was the architect and Master planner of the theft,” said Justice Gidudu. He also found Kezabu guilty of false accounting, forgery and uttering false documents contrary to section 351 of the Penal code act. He also found Masembe and Katumwa guilty of conspiring with Kazinda to commit fraud contrary to section 309 of the penal code.

In his judgment, Justice Gidudu, said prosecution presented irrefutable evidence implicating the four on the charges brought against them. “Even though they were never at the original planning meeting where the theft was hatched, the actions of Kezabu, Katumwa and Masembe made them conspirators to the theft,” said Justice Gidudu.