CID probes Local Government Ministry, UPPC over UGX 500M for security stamps. The Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID), Kibuli is investigating the Uganda Printing and Publishing Corporation- UPPC and Ministry of Local Governments- MoLG over Shillings 500 million that was meant for the supply of security stamps to LC I and LC II chairpersons.
UPPC is a public enterprise that was established in 1992 by the UPPC Act, Cap 330, and is fully owned by the Government of Uganda. The Corporationplaysan important role in printing Bills, Statutes and Official Gazette, Cabinet classified, driving licenses e.t.c
According to sources at the CID headquarters, on August 26, 2020, the MoLG entered a contract number MoLG/SPLS/19-20/00115 with UPPC to supply 41,964 security stamps for LCI and LC II chairpersons.
The contract details show that UPPC was to design and engrave each stamp at Shillings 45,000 bringing the total cost to Shillings 1.8 billion.
After developing the security features, UPPC subcontracted contracted Crane Engravers Limited to produce the stamps. UPPC went ahead and delivered 30,829 stamps to MoLG leaving a balance of 11,135 stamps for unknown reasons. However, records received by the CID detectives show that despite the delivery of less than the agreed number of stamps, MoLG went ahead and paid UPPC the full contract amount.
“Our interest is to establish why MoLG went ahead to pay UPPC full amount even after learning that they had not delivered fully as per the contract. We suspect there was connivance, abuse of office, or embezzlement of public money,” a detective said.
The 11,135 undelivered stamps when multiplied with Shillings 45,000 budgeted for each stamp cost Shillings 501 million.
CID Spokesperson Charles Twine confirmed the ongoing investigations, saying they want to unravel circumstances under, which UPPC earned money for incomplete work.
The Local Government Minister, Hon. Raphael Magyezi has not yet commented on the matter. Recently, CID indicted Prof Tom Davis Wasswa, the Managing Director of UPPC, and other top officials for alleged embezzlement of Shillings 3 billion.
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