The court has asked the aide who stole Sh440 million from former REA director Turyahikayo (who ironically also faces Sh400 million corruption charges from the government) and his wife to defend himself

[ad_1]

Contents

Kabale First Class Magistrate Pascal Olupot has ruled that there is prima facie evidence that Angello Twinomuhangi Bagorogoza, a former political aide to former Rubabo County MP Mary Paula Kebirungi Turyahikayo, stole and defrauded Uganda Shs440 million from former MP Mary Paula Kebirungi Turyahikayo and her husband, Eng Turyahikayo, a former Rural Electrification Agency (REA) executive officer.

In his ruling, the magistrate noted that the 10 prosecution witnesses who appeared in court testified that there was enough evidence to convict Bagorogosa.

“I am of the opinion that the accused have a defence in cases of theft and obtaining money by fraud and therefore I defend them. The prosecution’s evidence is contradictory and damaging; this is reason enough for Angello Twinomuhangi Bagorogoza to provide an explanation,” Olupot ruled.

The magistrate asked the defence counsel to brief their clients on the various ways in which they can defend themselves so that they can start the case at the next sitting.

The case has been adjourned to September 12, 2024, when Angello Twinomuhangi Bagorogoza will present his defence.

Angello Twinomuhangi Bagorogoza, a former political aide to former Rubabo County MP Mary Paula Kebirungi Turyahikayo, a resident of Rwamukundi cell in Kabale, has been charged with two counts of theft of UGX440 million along with the former MP and her husband Eng. Godfrey Rwihunga Turyahikayo, former Executive Director of Rural Electrification Agency (REA) and obtaining money by false pretenses.

The prosecution alleged that Angello Twinomuhangi Bagorogoza stole Ugx440,000.000 from Centenary Bank Kabale between October 2020 and February 2021, the money was for the purchase of land at Plot 35, Rwakaraba, Kabale – Kisoro Road by Turhungyayo and Hoyo Rwihikayo Turya Paula.

He is also charged with the second count of obtaining money by false pretenses between October 2020 and February 2021 at Centenary Bank Kabale, Kabale with intent to defraud Turyahikayo Rwihunga and Hon.Turyahikayo Kebirungi Paula of the sum of Uganda shillings 440,000,000.

Bagorogosa, who insisted that the case was politically motivated, had served as an official political assistant to former Rubabo County MP Tulia Hikayo until December 2020, when Tulia Hikayo denounced her and joined Namanya Naboth’s camp.

Tulia Hikayo contested for the Rubabo County councillor seat as the flag bearer of the National Resistance Movement party in the 2021 general elections but lost to Namanya of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).

The plight of former Rial boss

Earlier this year, the former head of Uganda’s Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Godfrey Turyahikayo, was arraigned by an anti-corruption court over the disappearance of nearly Sh403 million from the national treasury.

Charged alongside him were former chief accountant Geoffrey Kasozi, internal auditor Annette Alitusubira, senior accountant Diana Balihikya and assistant accountant Claire Kyomuhendo.

The charges date back to the period between June 14 and 16, 2016, when the defendants allegedly engaged in some creative accounting. They are accused of diverting government funds into the personal bank accounts of REA employees under the guise of compensating people affected by the power lines, when in fact that was not the case.