Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on Monday remanded seven former members of the Interim Management Committee of Wandegeya market and four Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) officials for mismanaging the market and causing financial loss to the government amounting to Shs400m.
The group was arraigned by the Anti-Corruption Unit of State House in liaison with Uganda Police on charges of abuse of office, conspiracy to defraud and causing damage to public property.
The accused allegedly allocated themselves stalls depriving the wanainchi that were eligible to occupy the stalls between 2012 and 2020.
They further rented out the stalls at exorbitant prices and have not been remitting money to the government hence causing a loss of over Shs400m.
They include; Saul Asaba, the supervisor of cooperatives at Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA), Wilberforce Waligo, the officer for trade and enterprise development at KCCA, Jonathan Gita, the former chairperson for interim committee, Richard Kamya, a businessman, Teddy Birungi, alias Muzungu, Grace Tusiime, alias Akiiki, and Derrick Kulubya Kiryowa.
While appearing before Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate, Joan Aciro, they denied the charges and were consequently remanded.
The court also issued criminal summons against KCCA director and deputy director of gender, community development and production, Harriet Mudondo, and Geoffrey Esau Galukande, as well as two former interim committee members Joseph Kalema and Suzan Nabakiibi.
Wandegeya market was opened in 2014 and an interim committee was elected to run the market together with KCCA.