An Assistant Commissioner at the Ministry of Education and Sports has been remanded to prison over allegations that he irregularly certified payments worth more than Shs614 million for incomplete roadworks in Isingiro District, raising questions about accountability in the use of public infrastructure funds.
Eng. Asaph T. Abenaitwe, a former Isingiro District engineer, appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala and was charged with abuse of office following a joint operation involving the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
Prosecution alleges that between 2022 and 2024, while serving as district engineer and project manager for Isingiro District Local Government, Abenaitwe and others still at large committed arbitrary acts prejudicial to the interests of the district.
According to SHACU, Abenaitwe allegedly abused his office by certifying payments exceeding Shs614 million to M/S Prime Contractors Limited for road construction works that had not been completed.
The charge sheet states that the funds were intended for the construction of eight sealed roads covering 7.09 kilometres within Isingiro Town Council under the Uganda Support to Municipal Infrastructure Development (USMID) programme.
The works were undertaken under Contract No. ISIN560/USMID WRKS/21-22/00001/Lot 1.
Prosecutors told court that Abenaitwe knowingly authorised and certified the payments despite the roadworks remaining incomplete.
They further alleged that essential project documents, including a Taking-Over Certificate, a Defects Liability Certificate and a Final Completion Certificate, had not been issued to confirm that the works had been completed in accordance with the contract.
The case follows a joint investigation by anti-corruption agencies into the alleged misuse of public funds allocated to municipal infrastructure development.
Abenaitwe's arrest and prosecution also come amid the “Expose the Corrupt” campaign, spearheaded by Minister of State for Local Government Balaam Barugahara, which seeks to strengthen accountability and tackle financial malpractice in local governments.
The court remanded Abenaitwe until October 15, 2026, when he is expected to return for a bail application hearing.
Anti-corruption agencies have reiterated their commitment to investigating municipal infrastructure projects and holding public officials accountable for the management of funds intended for community development.