Gloria Inzikuru, the Chief State Attorney at the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), disclosed to the Nakasero-based Anti-Corruption Court’s senior principal grade one magistrate, Albert Asiimwe, that Stanley Sendegeya, the former managing director of Uganda Railways Corporation (URC), pleaded guilty to charges of causing a financial loss of 146 million shillings to the Government in a recent court hearing on April 11, 2024. This disclosure was made as part of a plea bargain agreement between Sendegeya and the ODPP.
The plea bargain agreement entails Sendegeya accepting responsibility for his actions and agreeing to specific terms to mitigate his sentence. As per the agreement, Sendegeya consented to pay a fine of sh4m and an additional 37% of the sh146m as compensation. Failure to comply with these terms would result in a two-year jail term for Sendegeya.
Plea bargaining is a legal arrangement where the defendant agrees to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a reduced sentence.
Sendegeya’s legal representative, Dr. Beson Tusasirwe, affirmed to the court that his client willingly entered into the plea bargain concerning the sh146m loss. The agreement acknowledges Sendegeya’s acknowledgment of his decision leading to the financial loss and his admission of guilt.
Magistrate Asiimwe scheduled the conclusion of the plea bargain for April 15, 2024, after reviewing the essential facts of the case.
Sendegeya’s Co-Accused
In contrast, Sendegeya’s co-accused, Eng. Nicholas Kakooza and Peter Chrys Katwebaze, who faced similar charges in the same court, pleaded not guilty and maintain their innocence. They are charged under Section 20(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2009, which carries a potential sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
Kakooza and Katwebaze stand accused of facilitating an irregular payment of an additional $38,200 (approximately sh146m) to the Kenya Railways Corporation for the security and transportation of four locomotives procured by URC. The alleged incident occurred in August 2021 at the URC offices in Kampala, where Kakooza and Katwebaze were employed as a mechanical engineer and assistant mechanical engineer, respectively.
The prosecution, led by Inzikuru, contends that the payment was made despite the locomotives already being procured from Chwengamwe in Mombasa, Kenya, to Nalukulongo in Kampala, as per the terms of the contract with GPR Leasing Africa. The accused individuals purportedly authorized an additional payment, knowing it would result in a financial loss to the government of Uganda.
