Detectives attached to the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament – PAC (Local Government) have been tasked to arrest and produce Joel Musisi, the former Kaabong Chief Administrative Officer – CAO over queries relating to Shillings 328 million.
It has emerged that in the Finance Year 2020/2021, the Auditor General reported that Musisi irregularly signed two separate invoices to authorize payment amounting to Shillings 328 million to Jacqsen Uganda Limited for the construction of the District Council Chambers.
The Audit report revealed that Jacqsen Uganda Limited was contracted by the District to start executing the work on February 28th 2021, and to be completed in May 23rd the same year but to date the work has never been executed despite being fully paid.
Musisi had signed the first invoice in June 16th to authorize Shillings 73 million first installment which was disbursed to the contractor in June 22nd 2021. On June 22nd, same month – six days later, the CAO again signed the second invoice for the last expenditure of Shillings 255.607 million.
But Martin Ojara Mapenduzi, the Committee Chairperson told URN that Musisi has snubbed the invitation to interface with the MPs twice. Mapenduzi revealed that on Thursday, Musisi was expected to appear before the lawmakers alongside other district leaders to no avail, but texted the Committee’s Clerk that he was ‘unwell’.
A five-member delegation of district officials led by Martin Kiplingat the new CAO of Kaabong who included Jino Bornd Meri, the LC 5 Chairperson; Gerard Onyango – the Procurement Officer, Comfort Filister Akol – the Chief Finance Officer and Ibrahim Akorio – the Acting District Engineer were turned away by the MPs on Thursday.
Kiplingat confirmed that since he replaced Musisi, he attempted to meet the contractor on numerous occasions but the service provider has remained elusive and yet work has also stagnated that requires immediate intervention.
On the other hand, Kaabong District LC 5 Chairperson Jino Meri convened several meetings at his office with the contractor including Musisi, who has since been transferred to Kitgum District Local Government to ensure the work is completed but to no avail.
Christine Apolot, the Kumi District Woman Representative proposed police should hunt down Musisi and produce him before the Committee to answer to the queries that arose from his action as the Accounting Officer at the time.
On the hand, Emmanuel Ongiertho, the Jonam County Legislator also proposed that while police look for Musisi, the Committee should invite the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government to appear before them and witness the deeds of some Accounting Officers are doing.
As a way forward, Mapenduzi directed the police attached to the Committee at Parliament to hunt down Musisi and produce him on Tuesday 12th July 2022 at 10:00 am to face probe. He also directed Kaabong Local Government leaders to reappear on the same day.
–URN
