The CID has arrested nine officials of Uganda’s Ministry of Finance after interrogations at its headquarters in Kibuli, Kampala. According to the investigators, these officials could be holding key information regarding the mysterious disappearance of Shs 60 billion from the Bank of Uganda last year.

The others arrested included the retired Accountant General Lawrence Ssemakula, Paul Lumala, Jennifer Muhulizi, Mubarak Nsamba, and Mark Kasuku. Others are Tony Yawe, Deborah Kusiima, Betinah Nayebare, and Judith Ashaba. The suspects have been detained at Kira and Nateete Police Stations as investigations get intense.

It all started last year after it became clear that even though the Bank of Uganda effected the Shs60 billion payment, the money went into wrong accounts in Japan and the United Kingdom. Late November, the joint security agencies treated the lost billions as an insider deal.

It wasn’t until weeks later that the Bank of Uganda confirmed fraudulent transactions. In the confession, the deputy governor, Michael Atingi-Ego, said money intended to service debts with the World Bank and African Development Fund was wired to unintended accounts abroad. He ruled out hacking into the central bank’s systems and instead pointed at fraud originating from outside.

Atingi-Ego announced at a news briefing on December 5 that two fraudulent incidents saw the money misplaced. A debt servicing repayment of $6.134 million meant for the World Bank was instead sent to Road Way Company in Japan and deposited into an account at MFUFG Bank on November 12. Similarly, another payment of $8.569 million intended for the African Development Fund was mistakenly sent to NJS International in London, UK, on September 28.

As news of the interrogations widened, police vehicles were seen moving frequently between CID headquarters and local police stations. By mid-morning, on Tuesday, two police drones left the CID premises under escort by police patrol trucks heading towards Kira and Nateete Police Stations.

Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke confirmed the arrests, saying that investigations were still ongoing. “We have nine persons in custody as part of our investigation into the missing funds. More details will follow as the inquiry progresses,” Rusoke said.

This scam has raised concerns about internal financial controls within the Ministry of Finance and has led to renewed calls for stronger accountability in managing public funds.

The police and the Ministry of Finance have not yet commented about the incident. The arrests are seen to be the biggest move into what has been described as one of the big financial fraud cases in recent years in Uganda.