Several top officials of Nakapiripirit district have allegedly abandoned their offices for fear of facing the Anti corruption team now in the district to investigate corruption allegations.
Residents complain that since Monday most offices are closed as the respective officials are nowhere to be seen.
Tom Lemokol, a resident of Nakapiripirit Township cites the district engineering offices which he claims have remained closed since Tuesday. Lemokol says he had an appointment with Patrick Oketayot, the district engineer, but that he has tried in vain to allocate him in his office.
Franko Amonia, another resident of Namalu trading centre also claims he has failed to meet the Chief Finance Officer after several visits to his office which has remained closed.
Kaps Apamaku, the Nakapiripirit District Police Commander confirms the presence of detectives from the Anti Corruption department in the district.
He said several district officials have been questioned regarding the recent report by the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee indicating that about one billion out of the 11 billion shillings that was sent to the district in the 2010/2011 financial year has not been accounted for.
Apamaku, however, declined to comment on the allegations that the district officials have abandoned their offices.
Several attempts by Uganda Radio Network to get a comment from Moses Kisembo Bahemuka, the district Chief Administrative Officer were futile as he could not pick calls on his mobile number 077 2 488015.
Nakapiripirit District allegedly lost 1.7 billion shillings. The money in question was sent by government to the district for activities such as NAADS, community access roads and safe water distribution.
However, a probe committee set up on the orders of Janet Museveni, the Minister in charge of Karamoja region exposed various cases of corruption involving top district officials.
The committee chaired by Remijo Achia, the Pian County MP, was comprised of Nakapiripirit District Internal Security Officer, Resident District Commissioner, District Police Commander and LC 5 chairman among other members.
The committee unearthed various anomalies some of which it classified as criminal in nature and called for the prosecution of the implicated officials.
The report indicates that management of government properties especially vehicles, motorcycles, computers and supplies is extremely poor.
Some of the officials implicated in the report include, Mark Kocho, the district Chief Finance officer, Joseph Ngiro Kelia, the district procurement officer and Patrick Oketayot, the district engineer among others.
