By Kampala Sun writer
A procurement officer at TotalEnergies Limited has pinned five former staff accused of diverting sh32b in suspected fraudulent transactions.
Hassan Kasozi said his fellow staff diverted several litres of petrol and diesel to different fuel stations without proper documentation.
Kasozi informed Justice Lawrence Gidudu, the head of the Kololo-based Anti-Corruption Court, that delivery notes that were allegedly used to divert the fuel were not signed, and that they did not have the name of the person who dispatched the fuel.
Testifying as the third prosecution witness, Kasozi said the diversion took place at different TotalEnergies service stations within Kampala.
He told court that the fraud occurred when TotalEnergies supplied several litres of petrol, diesel, and lubricant products through its agents.
Kasozi was testifying on Thursday (February 23) in a case where former employees and agents of TotalEnergies are accused of stealing from the company.
The accused are Moses Sebalu (treasury officer), Belinda Nakasi (tax accountant), Priscillah Nansikombi (cashier), Lillian Mboizi (treasury manager) and Ritah Mbabazi (payment assistant).
The five are facing the charges alongside Hemal Kotecha, Innocent Tugume, Deogratius Twagirayesu, Joseph Bbuye and Evelyn Kaggwa, all contracted agents of TotalEnergies. They all denied the charges.
Kasozi told court that 10,000 litres of petrol that were dispatched from a depot in Kampala to Nakulabye Total fuel station were diverted to Seeta highway fuel station. He said Nakulabye Total fuel station only received 3,000 litres of petrol out of the 10,000 litres.
Cross-examination
During cross-examination by the defence lawyer, MacDosman Kabega, Kasozi denied claims that he was responsible for the fraud.
This was after Kabega asserted that as the transport officer, Kasozi was responsible for the diversion of fuel. Kasozi worked as a transport officer before he was promoted to procurement officer.
“Kasozi, you have heard of the adage that a man eateth where he worketh? You are now eating where you work. You should be the one in the dock and not these innocent people,” Kabega charged before Kasozi denied any wrongdoing.
Prosecution case
According to the prosecution, the fraud occurred at the company’s several branches, including Ben Kiwanuka, Kyaliwajjala, Kabuusu, Nakulabye, Luzira, Seeta Highway, Misindye, Mukono-Kawuga, Kwev Auto and New Oasis service stations.
Josephine Namatovu, the assistant Director of Public Prosecutions and chief state attorney Gloria Inzikuru, said the former employees of TotalEnergies stole sh32b from the company.
It is alleged that between January 2016 and December 2018, the former employees reportedly connived with Tugume, Twagirayesu, Bbuye, Kaggwa and Kotecha to steal goods worth sh32b.
It is purported that Sebalu, Nakasi, Nansikombi, Mboizi and Mbabazi set up a scheme that allowed dealers to order fuel and lubricants basing on fraudulent credit to be posted on their accounts.
It is alleged that they created fictitious payments, which prosecution said were executed by Mboizi using her exclusive rights to reportedly post illegal bank statements into the system.
TotalEnergies is a limited liability company registered in Uganda, with its head office located on the 8th Street in Industrial Area, Kampala. The company deals in marketing and distribution of fuel and lubricants across the country.
