Masaka, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Masaka District Senior Internal Auditor John Bahati Ssempiira has pleaded guilty to soliciting and obtaining a bribe of one million Shillings from a teacher. This’ he confessed before Grade One Magistrate Moses Nabende of the anti-corruption court,
The court heard that Ssempiira solicited two million Shillings as gratification from Emmanuel Kiwumulo Mwanja, a pensioner for purposes of expeditious processing of his gratuity. He however accepted a bribe of one million Shillings from Kiwumulo on April 22, 2021, which eventually led to his arrest by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
Sempiira accepted the charge but hastened to add that he has since entered into a plea bargain agreement with the prosecution. State Attorney Timothy Amerit also presented to the court an agreement between the prosecution and the accused, stating both aggravating and mitigating factors for the process.
In it, the Prosecution stated that as a person entrusted with a sensitive task, Ssempiira breached the public trust and his conduct was detrimental to the public service. But, it adds that Ssempiira is a first time offender, the sole breadwinner at home and a remorseful father and husband.
According to the agreement, the parties agreed on a fine of 500,000 Shillings on each of the two charges, or a two-year jail sentence in the event of failure to pay. However, the one million Shillings he had received as a bribe would be given back to Kiwumulo.
“He has fully complied with his terms of release on police bond and is willing to abide by the terms of this agreement. He has agreed to plead guilty and hence not wasting court’s time and other valuable resources,” reads the agreement, which was also endorsed by the Magistrate, although he stated that the sentence agreed upon was given the magnitude of corruption in Uganda.
He advised the Prosecution to do better next time and accordingly barred Ssempiira for ten years from ever holding any public office.
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