By our Reporter
KAMPALA – Intelligence information reaching this publication indicates that, a senior officer at Ministry of energy and Mineral Development sitting at Amber house in Kampala is currently detained allegedly for orchestrating the move to fleece a total of USD 50m from a Serbian investor. The one Spero Byokunda, the head of petroleum quality and assurance at Ministry of Energy currently detained at CPS under reference No- ACU GEF 176/23 by Statehouse Anti-corruption unit after several attempts from where he was hiding.
It is alleged that, on 22nd of August this year, Spero Byokunda and others still at large, arranged a meeting between a Serbian investor who wanted to undertake Energy related projects at Amber house inside ministry’s Boardroom but he never attended. Allegedly instructed George Byomugabe to chair the meeting who in the same meeting introduced himself as Minister of Energy and Mineral Development in the disguise.
After this meeting, Byokunda demaded for the last installment from the investor who later became suspicious, and thought of knowledge and guidance from higher authorities in government. The investor was then advised him not to pay until it would be the authorities become aware of people he was dealing with. A counter intelligence traps was then set by state intelligence detectives using the investor and pledged to pay them USD 20m. This USD 20m was supposedly to be picked from the hotel where the said investor was risiding.
However, through on learning that it was atrap, Byokunda and his colleagues declined to go and pick the money in fear of being apprehended. This spark off an intense investigation until now, the involved people are being netted one like mosquitoes.
*How they outset the arrests*
As it is well for their outsmart intelligence, the Statehouse Anti-corruption team took up the matter very confidentiality, and officers at the Ministry of energy were seen being taken one by one until the big fish was in their hands.
Our source at Amber house said, these arrests begun when the secretary to Minister of Energy together with Byokunda’s secretary were taken. They added that according to CCTV cameras, these were directly involved in preparing the meeting venue at Ministry’s Boardroom. After the the interrogation where they narrated the whole ordeal behind the said meeting they were later released.
This further led to the arrest of one George Byomugabe on Thursday last week while at Amber house Which houses the Ministry of Energy. Byomugabe was first taken to CPS in Kampala, then later to wandegeya Police station for more interrogation and he was later released on Police bond after spending 5days. This publication has learnt that it was from then that state detectives discover other people that were involved. This later lead to the arrest of two more people; John Bosco Mugisha aka Boyzon, a Personal Assistant to Hon. Chris Baryomunsi who is the Minister of ICT and National guidance, and finally Spero Byokunda was also picked. It is from this arrest that two spilled other members of the gang both working in government and other in private business. The two are still inside police coolers
In addition to this, previously, Mr. Spero Byokunda, has severally been in involved in many books of corrupt scandals, where it is alleged that while working with Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), he was dismissed for having been involved in fraudulently transactions. Again at the Ministry of Energy where he’s currently deployed, he’s the same person among others who was arlier this year in April ordered by IGG to refund UgX 70159400= ( Ref: New Vision 5th April 2023, pg 17). And according to reliable information he has not refunded it to treasury.
