Government has reiterated its commitment to crushing a racket of high ranking officials seeking bribes from investors, Chimp Corps report.
The warning comes high on the heels of the arrest of Labour State Minister Herbert Kabafunzaki and two senior Finance Ministry officials, John Charles Ogol and Geoffrey Turyamuhika for reportedly soliciting and receiving bribes from investors.
Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo said the President is not playing games in fighting impunity.
“For some time now the President has been public that there are ministers, MPs and other government officials who cajole and extort favours from investors especially foreign ones,” said Opondo.
“These extortionists sometimes demand cash, shares, foreign trips or even university tuition for their children,” he added.
Meeting the IGP Gen Kale Kayihura at State House recently, Museveni praised security forces for the arrest of Finance Ministry officials.
The officials were subsequently prosecuted for seeking gratification of Shs 1bn from Guangzhou Energy Limited’s Sukulu Phosphate Project.
The officials reportedly pledged to expedite documents concerning the financing and construction of a power sub-station and transmission line for the company.
On the other hand, Kabafunzaki is said to have received a Shs 10m bribe from Aya Hotel proprietor Hamid to ‘kill’ a sexual harassment case.
Appearing before the Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday, Kabafunzaki denied the charge.
Opondo said the President was serious when he warned that he had put up spy networks to “expose, cause arrests and prosecution” of the bribe-seeking officials.
“So, if there’s any minister or P.S. who listened to the President in Kyankwanzi last year and in cabinet retreats who can still foolishly behave the way kabafunzaki is alleged to have behaved, then the problem is really of their own making and shouldn’t seek to shift blame,” he added.
“But we wait to see how the investigations unfold as we give him the benefits of the doubts. But l highly doubt that police is acting on shaky ground.”