The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has sentenced Richard Michael Nataka, the former Secretary-General of the Uganda Red Cross Society to seven years in jail for embezzling more than 1 billion Shillings.
The Court presided over by Grade One Magistrate Moses Nabende has handed Nataka the sentence after finding him guilty on four charges that are embezzlement, causing financial loss, abuse of office and conspiracy to defraud.
The Court has heard that Nataka embezzled more than 1.2 billion shillings between February 1st, 2013 and September 30th, 2013 in Kampala.
The money belonged to Uganda Red Cross Society and Nataka accessed it by the virtue of the office that he held as the Secretary-General.
The Court has found that Nataka irregularly approved and made payments of more than one billion shillings to Buki Enterprises Limited for construction work at the African Youth Leadership and Training Centre (Namakwa) and at the end Uganda Red Cross Society was sent into losses.
Court has also heard that Nataka signed duplicate contracts in favour of Buki Enterprise Limited, Jensani construction and Saki Technical Services Limited for the execution of the said works which was also done fraudulently.
While handing him the sentence, the Magistrate indicated that although some offences have handed him two years in jail, and others three, Nataka will serve the highest sentence of seven years that have been given to him on causing financial loss and embezzlement.
