UGANDA, Wakiso | Real Muloodi News | The verdict in the fraud case involving six former land ministry officials has been postponed to June 29. The officials are accused of processing and registering mortgages without verifying and providing proof of payment of stamp duty amounting to USh48m.
The individuals facing charges include Nurah Businge, the registrar of titles for Wakiso District Ministry of Lands zonal offices, Andrew Mwanje, the communications officer, Nicholas Wamboga, the registrar of titles for Wakiso land offices, Monica Katushabe, a records assistant, and data entry assistants Japhery Bekalaze and Doreen Mpumwire.
Chief Magistrate Moses Nabende, presiding over the case at the Anti-Corruption Court, announced the deferral of the ruling to June 29 due to unpreparedness.
“The judgement is not ready. Therefore, it will be delivered on June 29,” Nabende said.
The officials are charged with nine counts of abuse of office and seven counts of causing financial loss, which are violations of the Anti-Corruption Court Act’s sections 11(1) and 20(1).
Abuse of office carries a maximum sentence of seven years in prison upon conviction while causing financial loss can lead to a 14-year jail term.
The prosecution alleges that in 2018, at the lands ministry zonal office in Wakiso District, the accused individuals abused the authority of their positions by processing and registering mortgages without verifying and providing proof of payment of USh48m in stamp duty.
The prosecution argues that the accused knowingly or reasonably believed that their actions would cause financial loss to their employer. They claim that the accused disregarded the proper procedure for registering mortgages.
The ruling postponement means that a final decision in this fraud case will be delivered on June 29.
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