Gulu deputy Mayor arrested for embezzlement

The Deputy Mayor of Gulu may spend his Christmas holidays behind bars after he was arrested today on the orders of the Inspector General of Government for embezzlement of public funds.

Mr Benson Kilara and the Assistant Town Clerk of Layibi Division in Gulu, Dennis Okongo, are accused of embezzling shs11million. The money was part of shs25 million allocated by Gulu Municipal Council in the 2007/2008 financial year for the purchase of land in Amuru district.

The council was looking for land to plant a forest in order to develop the peri-urban forest in Forest Ward in Gulu town.

The investigation by IGG found that Mr Kilara and Mr Okongo only paid 14 million shillings for the 100 acres of land in Amuru. They are accused of promising the land owner eight plots of prime land in the Municipality instead of payment of the remaining shs11million.

Trouble for the Deputy Mayor begun when the plots of land were not handed over. The matter was forwarded to the IGG leading to today’s arrests.

Johnson Kilama, the Northern Uganda Regional Police Spokesperson, says Kilara and Okongo are being held at Gulu Central Police Station. They will be charged in court later today.