Makindye Family Court Cashier Disappears with Shs 96 Million Court Deposit

A total of 138 million shillings that was deposited by litigants at Soroti High Court and Makindye Family Court has gone missing, Parliament heard yesterday.

The shocking discovery was made during an interface between Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Judiciary officials concerning the audit report for the year ending June 2019.

According to the audit, Shs 96 million and Shs 42 million disappeared at Makindye Family Court and Soroti High Court respectively during the 2018/19 Financial Year.

Tom Chemutai, the Judiciary Chief Registrar informed legislators that in the case of Makindye, the 96 million was a security deposit from a divorce case Number.5/2016.

This money which was deposited by Kalenge, Bwanika, Ssawa & Co. Advocates was supposed to be shared equally by the two parties at the conclusion of their divorce case.

However, on 2nd March 2017 when the couple’s case was finally resolved, Paul Mwemeke the court cashier could not refund the money.

“When the parties to the divorce demanded for it on 10th March, 2018 (Mwemeke) apologized and undertook to refund the money within three months,” the IG report says.

He later agreed to have his property attached to raise these funds but even before the process could begin he disappeared.

On the other hand, Chemutai disclosed that for the 42 million that disappeared at Soroti High Court, the matter was reported to police by the Assistant Registrar on May 24 2016.

Hitherto, a police file SD NO.50/24/50/2016 was opened and the culprit was arrested.

However, during investigations, the suspect who was not named vanished as well.

“Management has written to the Solicitor General for guidance on how to compensate the litigants for the money that was stolen by the officer,” Chemutai said.

Speaking on the matter, Judiciary Permanent Secretary Pius Bigirimana said those who were in charge then should account.

“They are individuals, they should be asked to refund, why should government spend money on people who were not sanctioned by government to steal that money?” Bigirimana said.