By Sarah Achen Kibisi
The Parliamentary Committee on Physical Infrastructure has directed the Parliamentary Police CID to arrest two officials from Office of the President for giving false information on the use of funds and financial statements in regard to the acquisition of the Digital Number Plates project.
The committee members discovered that the officials had misled by the officials that even after they were under oath. The officials were invited by the committee to provide clarity of the project.
The arrested officials were Mr Nathan Gessa who works as a Public Relations officer in the Office of the President and Mr Moses Bekabye an officer from the Finance Ministry.
The Committee’s Chairperson, Hon. Mwine Mpaka ordered the arrest after the two failed to convince the members on what informed them to arrive to Shs 714,000 charged to motorists for each digital number plate. Following the break down totaling to Shs 624,000 leaving a balance that the two officials could not account for.
However, Mr Bekabye was arrested after he admitted that he had lied under oath. Last week, while appearing before the same committee, he told them that government officials had travelled to Russia, China and India to benchmark the pricing of the plates but there was no benchmarking as he had earlier on alluded. Mpaka also informed journalists that their interrogation is widening and they may consider summoning the former Minister of Works and Transport, Gen. Edward Wamala Katumba, Minister of Security Gen. Jim Muhwezi and also Gen. Kahinda Otafiire the Minister of Water and Environment. Mpaka said that before writing their report, they will plan on meeting the President and interact on the project.
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