War on Corruption Looms! Former Mulago Hospital ED Remanded Over Ugx 6.3 Billion

The former Executive Director of Mulago National Referral Hospital Dr. Byarugaba Baterana Bonaventura has been arraigned before the Anti-corruption court in Nakasero and remanded to Luzira prison on charges of Abuse of office and causing government a 6.3 billion shillings loss in irregular and double payments to suppliers.

According to the DPP Jane Frances Abodo, charges were allegedly committed during an eleven year tenure of Dr. Byarugaba’s reign at Mulago Hospital .

Dr. Byarugaba has been jointly charged along side 9 other people including the former Hospital Engineer and Head Engineering department Kataha Edward, Head accounts Nyeko Ponsiano and senior accountant Mwasa Charles .

Others are ; the former Senior Mulago Hospital administrator Wafula Kenneth , senior procurement officers; Okware Christopher and Adah Kamucunguzi .

Others charged are the Directors and shareholders of Setramaco International Ltd Robert Wasike and Catherine Winfred Nabwire who allegedly used their company to invoice Mulago National Referral Hospital for payments of non-existent autoclaves (sterilization equipment ) and other non-executed works .

However only seven accused people were present in court as Nyeko Ponsiano, Charles Mwasa and an Engineer Barenda Perezi were absent and issued with criminal summons requiring them to appear next week on Monday.

Dr Baterana Byarugaba and his Co accused in Court.

Prosecution states that between financial years 2015/ 2016 , 2016 / 2017 and 2019 / 2020 , Dr. Byarugaba and the accused Mulago Hospital being authorised users of the integrated Financial Management System in Abuse of their respective offices they flouted both public procurement and payment procedures by approving payments to Setramaco International company for supplies and routine servicing and repair works which were never executed.

Some of the fraudulent acts committed by the accused which led to the multi -billion shillings loss are ; the purported supply of consumables for non-existence autoclaves ( sterilization equipment) with capacity of 1500 Litres at 3.6 billion shillings , an irregular processing of 1.5 billion shillings for the routine serving of autoclaves all paid to Setramaco International Ltd with out following procedures governing public payments.

The accused are also said to have caused multiple payments of to a tune of 1.7 billion shillings to Setramaco International for the alleged relocation and installation of a Multi-Ironer , relocation of steam cooking pans from lower to Upper Mulago and supply of Molten blankets yet the same activities had already been paid for by Mulago National Referral Hospital.

Prosecution contends that the officials ahd a reason to believe that such duplicate payments would cause a loss to Mulago National Referral Hospital.

The five officials and the two Company directors have each pleaded not guilty before Senior principal Grade One magistrate Abert Asiimwe .

Dr. Byarugaba was interdicted and later in November 2023 handed over office to his successor Dr. Winfred Byanyima after the auditor General’s report raised queries about the monies received by Mulago National Referral Hospital which