The Anti-Corruption Court has convicted a Member of Parliament, two senior district officials, and a company director over the  illegal  diversion of nearly UGX 495 million from Namisindwa District Local Government.

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) announced on March 28, 2026, that it secured convictions against Hon. Otukol Samuel, a Member of Parliament and director of Samix Uganda Ltd and Zedkol Financial Services; Odap Francis, the former Chief Administrative Officer; Wamburu Willy, the Acting Chief Financial Officer; and Osire Ezekiel, a director of Zedkol Financial Services.

According to the ODPP, the offences, ranging from causing financial loss and theft to conspiracy to defraud, were committed between June and November 2019. Evidence presented in court showed that Odap and Wamburu processed payments amounting to UGX 495,444,716 under the guise of staff loan deductions, channeling the funds to three companies that neither provided services to the district nor extended loans to its staff.

The ODPP stated that the companies were not licensed by the Uganda Microfinance Regulatory Authority to offer financial services, were not members of the Uganda Consumer Lenders Association, and had no record of lending to district employees.

The funds were disbursed as UGX 82,530,413 to United for Development SACCO, UGX 202,483,413 to Samix Uganda Ltd, and UGX 210,430,890 to Zedkol Financial Services. Prosecutors noted that the transactions violated Ministry of Public Service guidelines, which require all loan deductions to be processed through a single code managed by the Uganda Consumer Lenders Association.

Court heard that upon receiving the money, Hon. Otukol Samuel and Osire Ezekiel withdrew the funds from the companies’ accounts and used them for personal benefit.

Senior State Attorney Emily Mutuzo Sendaula, who prosecuted the case before Her Worship Asiimwe, secured convictions on multiple counts. Odap Francis and Wamburu Willy were found guilty on three counts of causing financial loss and two counts of conspiracy to defraud. Hon. Otukol Samuel was convicted on two counts of theft and two counts of conspiracy to defraud, while Osire Ezekiel was found guilty on one count of theft and one count of conspiracy to defraud.

The court has scheduled April 1, 2026, as the date for sentencing.