The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has remanded 15 senior officials of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) to Luzira Prison over their alleged involvement in a multi-billion-shilling fraud scheme.
The officials appeared before the court in Kampala on Wednesday, facing charges of corruption and causing financial loss exceeding Shs 9.3 billion.
Investigators say the fraud occurred between 2020 and 2023.
According to the prosecution, the accused manipulated UWA’s GoChimp digital permit system, issuing over 8,400 invalid permits for chimpanzee and gorilla tracking.
The fake permits reportedly granted unauthorized access to protected areas including Nyakagezi, Ruhija, Nkuringo, Rushaga, Buhoma, Kyambura, and Kanyanchu, resulting in government losses of more than Shs 8.7 billion.
Among those charged are Alfred Emmanuel Ndikusooka, ICT Manager; Robert Maani, Senior Warden Accounts; Jimmy Mugisa, Director of Finance and Administration; Gilbert Mwesigwa, Warden Software Developer; Leslie Muhindo, former Head of Reservations; and Stephen Sanya Masaba, Director of Tourism and Business Development, among others.
Each official faces charges under Sections 2(1), 19(1), and 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act, Cap 116, covering corruption, neglect of duty and causing financial loss.
