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The former youth Member of Parliament, was on Monday remanded to Luzira Prison for 48 hours over accusations of obtaining sums from complainants Sarah Wamala and Gloria Kikomeko.
Uganda Netball Federation President, Hon. Sarah Babirye Kityo, is embroiled in a legal battle as she vehemently denies allegations of obtaining money under false pretences.
Kityo stands firm in her innocence, refuting the charges brought against her, as the embattled president continues to face a challenging period in her leadership role within the national netball community.
The former youth Member of Parliament, was on Monday remanded to Luzira Prison for 48 hours over accusations of obtaining sums from complainants Sarah Wamala and Gloria Kikomeko.
Kityo was summoned by the Uganda Police on Monday, April 15, to provide a statement in her defense for a defamation case filed by NCS President Dr. Benard Patrick Ogwel.
However, she was presented before the court on unrelated charges. The accusations state that she, along with businesswoman Zainab Namutebi, obtained money under false pretenses.
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07:56 - 22.04.2023
NETBALL UNF President Sarah Babirye Kityo axed from office
The situation came to a head during a high-stakes meeting at the State House in Nakasero, where representatives from the National Council of Sports (NCS), UNF, and former She Cranes players met with the Minister of Education and Sports and First Lady Janet Kataha Museveni.
According to a police report, Kityo is accused of falsely claiming to facilitate trips to the United States and obtaining Shs16m. The alleged offenses are said to have occurred in May 2022.
During their appearance before Grade One magistrate Siena Owomugisha, both Kityo and Namutebi pleaded not guilty to the charges.
While speaking to NBS Sport, Kityo dismissed the allegations as part of a wider conspiracy to undermine her credibility.
"I came to Police to record a statement over a case that Dr. Ogwel opened against me of defamation, where my executive members alleged, he had asked for a kickback," Kityo clarified.
“In that process, UGX 30 million meant for the male national team members went missing. So, when I came here, I found out that there was a case opened against me by other individuals.”
“In the case, they claim that we gained money by false pretence. But all these cases are not true, and this is a total witch hunt,” she stated.
“Because the people making these claims didn’t give me money, but deposited it with the fans association, and they wanted to travel with the team as fans.”
“It was a group, and some people secured visas and they travelled, these ones in particular were rejected. But they have twisted the whole story and claim otherwise.”
“But as a president, before I recommend you for travel, I must be sure that you are indeed going to watch the games and foot your bills, because we are not a travel agency.”
“Interestingly, everyone that got the visa was booked in for the games, and they were able to travel, so I don’t think we are liable if one fails to impress the embassy for a visa,” Kityo explained.
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17:42 - 15.05.2023
OTHER SPORTS VIDEO: Netball president Sarah Babirye Kityo remanded to Luzira Prison for allegedly obtaining of money by false pretence
Embattled netball boss Sarah Babirye Kityo was summoned by Uganda Police on Monday, April 15, to record statements in her defence for alleged obtaining of money by false pretence and was then expressly produced before the court and remanded to Luzira Prison.
Babirye and her co. accused Namutebi are remanded to prison until May 17 to hear their bail application, but she predicts that there are plans to frustrate the process of bail application.
“So, the rumours I am hearing is that they are planning on denying me bail,” Babirye said.
“They want to frustrate that process so that by the time my leave of office lapses, I am in Luzira and the whole story changes like that.”
“But I believe in our judicial system, and now lets wait and see how the process is handled from here on.”
Kityo was earlier handed over to Police’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) by Parliament over alleged mismanagement of funds and is also out of the office of the netball presidency for three months.
The development comes at a time when Babirye is involved in a war of words with her supervisor Bernard Ogwel, the General Secretary National Council of Sports, over alleged corruption.
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19:23 - 11.05.2023
OTHER SPORTS PAC hands over Sarah Kityo, UNF bosses to Police over alleged Shs30m fraud
Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee has handed over Uganda Netball Federation president Sarah Babirye Kityo and other executives to the authorities over alleged financial mismanagement.
Speaking before Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee last week, Ogwel revealed that he opened charges against Kityo earlier this year.
“What Sarah (Kityo) alleged was a malicious campaign to accuse me. When Sarah assumed office, her clandestine agenda against my personality became clear.”
“Right away in the second quarter, she started recording and sharing viral messages against my personality,” Ogwel told PAC.
The former legislator accuses Ogwel of repeatedly receiving kickbacks from the Netball federation whenever he allocates funds to the National team.
Babirye claims that Ogwel received Shs30m out of the Shs100m allocated to the men’s senior national team, ‘The Rock’, for their trip to the 2021 championships in South Africa.
However, Ogwel describes the allegation as malicious propaganda against his personality.
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