Six Senior Govt Officials Arrested Over Shs 107 Million Embezzlement

RUBANDA — The Inspectorate of Government has arrested six Rubanda District local government officials over the alleged embezzlement of Shs 107,688,900 in public funds meant for agricultural extension services across the district.

Officials from the Inspectorate of Government stormed Rubanda District headquarters in an early morning operation, detained the suspects at the office of the Chief Administrative Officer for about an hour of questioning, then escorted them in a government vehicle to Kampala to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of embezzlement and abuse of office.

Those arrested are Benon Kahangi, 48, District Production and Marketing Officer; Stephen Buregyeya, 46, Senior Treasurer; Sixtus Ahabwe, 29, Assistant Veterinary Officer; Owen Atuheire, 42, Assistant Inventory Management Officer; Wilson Kwizera, 38, Assistant Agricultural Officer; and Pamela Musimenta, 29, also an Assistant Agricultural Officer.

A seventh suspect, Nicholas Karuhanga, 41, Director of Hummer Consults Company Limited, was arrested separately in Rukungiri District, where he had reportedly gone into hiding. He is accused of colluding with Kahangi to siphon district funds.

According to the prosecution charge sheet dated February 12, 2026, signed by Brenda Kimbugwe, Manager in Charge of Prosecutions at the IG, and Inspector General of Government Lady Justice Aisha Batala Naluzze, the offences occurred between January and June 2023.

Between February and March 2023, Kahangi and Buregyeya allegedly stole Shs 68,529,300 from the district account at Centenary Bank. In January 2023, Ahabwe and Atuheire are accused of stealing Shs 9,778,900 allocated for agricultural extension activities in Habuhutu-Mugyera Town Council. Kwizera and Kahangi allegedly misappropriated Shs 9,789,900 earmarked for similar activities in Ruhija Sub-county.

Two other officials, Peter Rurinayo, 40, District Finance Officer, and Gerald Sibomana, 43, District Fisheries Officer, remain at large.

Noeline Nsungwa, Supervisor of Ombudsman Affairs at the IG’s Kabale Regional Office, confirmed that the arrested suspects were transferred to Kampala and said efforts to apprehend those still at large are ongoing.

Rubanda Resident District Commissioner Eric Ssewandigi said he supports the arrests, noting that investigations had already established the funds were misappropriated. He added that the suspects had been asked to refund the money but allegedly declined.

The arrested officials declined to comment on the allegations.

This is not the first time Kahangi has faced such accusations. In December 2023, he was arrested for allegedly stealing Shs 21 million from the 2021/2022 agricultural extension budget. Investigators found that he had forged signatures from the internal auditor, inventory officer, and sub-county extension workers to create false records of payments and supplies.