Two senior engineers in Kiboga District are at the centre of a widening corruption probe after being charged and remanded for allegedly siphoning public funds meant for road maintenance.
Engineer Mukiibi Ismail, the District Engineer, and Bwante Moses, the Assistant Engineering Officer Mechanical, appeared before the Kiboga Chief Magistrate’s Court on Friday to answer to charges of conspiracy to defraud.
The two were immediately remanded until August 14, 2025.
Investigators from the Anti-Corruption Unit (ACU), working alongside the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), accuse the duo of masterminding a fraudulent fuel scheme that drained millions of shillings from the shs1 billion Road Maintenance Grant during the 2023–2024 financial year.
According to the prosecution, the officials falsified fuel claims, some of which were allegedly filed for vehicles that had been grounded for over a year.
Instead of fueling roadworks, the funds were allegedly diverted through fuel station managers, who returned cash in exchange for fake transactions.
Authorities believe more individuals were involved and have confirmed ongoing efforts to apprehend additional suspects.
The case has reignited criticism over lax financial oversight in local governments and raised fresh demands for stronger controls on how infrastructure funds are handled.
The Road Maintenance Grant is meant to ensure routine repair of rural roads, crucial for transport, trade, and access to public services. Yet, in Kiboga, it appears the system was turned into a cash cow for a few officials.
This scandal adds to a growing trail of public service corruption cases in Uganda as just this week, three people have been remanded over the same issue.
