Uganda demands 1.689 billion shillings from 33 people
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Observer
Uganda’s Inspectorate of Government is seeking 1.689 billion shillings from 33 people with debts arising from negotiated plea-bargain agreements. They must settle their balances by 8 January 2027, or face further prosecution, according to a notice from the anti-corruption agency cited by The Observer.
Uganda’s Inspector General of Government Naluzze Aisha Batala has given 33 people until 8 January 2027 to settle sums owed under plea-bargain agreements, totalling 1.689 billion Ugandan shillings. The Inspectorate of Government, Uganda’s anti-corruption agency, announced the deadline in a public notice and warned that unpaid amounts could lead to further enforcement measures, including prosecution.
Umar Katongole and his wife Hawah Ssengendo, also known as Kawa Bitone, together account for the largest debt on the list, at 1 billion shillings. The other 31 people owe amounts ranging from 1.82 million to 88.48 million shillings. They must appear in person at the offices of the Inspectorate of Government with proof of payment to allow the agency to reconcile the sums paid with its records, according to the public notice.
The Katongole and Ssengendo case dates back to 2019, when the Inspectorate of Government arrested them and had them prosecuted for illicit enrichment and money laundering. Prosecutors alleged in particular that they controlled assets worth about 6.28 billion shillings, while Katongole’s known legitimate income between 2008 and 2015 amounted to about 317 million. In 2024, the couple sought an out-of-court settlement, handed over three plots of land in Wakiso District valued at about 1.4 billion shillings and agreed to pay at least 1 billion shillings within a year, leading to the withdrawal of the criminal charges.
