Today, February 21, 2024, the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala is poised to determine whether to summon David Livingstone Ebiru, former executive director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS), regarding allegations of a 100 million shilling bribery scandal.
City lawyer Hassan Male Mabirizi has petitioned the court to issue criminal summons against Ebiru, accusing him of involvement in money laundering linked to the bribery allegations. Principal Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe is tasked with deciding whether there is sufficient evidence, prima facie, to warrant summoning Ebiru to trial.
Mabirizi contends that Ebiru’s own statements to the Parliament committee on Commissions, State Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) indicate his involvement in bribery, constituting an offense of money laundering. Ebiru allegedly admitted to bribing the UNBS board chairperson with 100 million shillings to retain his position as CEO.
The alleged incident occurred on July 19, 2023, at Naguru’s Panamera Bar in Kampala, where Ebiru purportedly acquired and used 100 million shillings, knowing it was proceeds of corruption. Despite later retracting his statement, claiming it was made in anger, Mabirizi insists on pursuing legal action against him.
This development follows the withdrawal of corruption charges against Ebiru by the Inspector General of Government (IGG) Beti Kamya. Despite attempts to block his trial, Ebiru now faces the possibility of being summoned to answer to charges in court, pending the decision of Magistrate Asiimwe.
