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The meeting, described by PAC chairman Medard Sseggona as a "fact-finding" exercise, aimed to uncover the truth about the alleged misappropriation of sh100m and a sh30m kickback received by NCS General Secretary Bernard Ogwel.
The Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) and the National Council of Sports (NCS) faced tough questioning from Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) regarding the accountability of funds allocated for the men’s netball trip to South Africa in 2021.
The meeting, described by PAC chairman Medard Sseggona as a "fact-finding" exercise, aimed to uncover the truth about the alleged misappropriation of sh100m and a sh30m kickback received by NCS General Secretary Bernard Ogwel.
During the hearing, Sseggona questioned the authenticity of signatures on the payment schedule for allowances paid to over 13 male athletes and officials.
"This gentleman's signature is visibly different from what appears here," he said, comparing the signatures on the payment schedule with those on the athletes' national identity cards and passports.
UNF Vice President Richard Muhumuza denied signing the document, as did all the other athletes questioned. The discrepancies in signatures indicate forgery on the payment schedule.
UNF General Secretary Amina Mande admitted that the federation received sh100m and decided to allocate sh300,000 as allowances, but denied knowledge of the alleged kickback to Ogwel.
When asked about the alleged sh30m kickback, most male athletes claimed they had no knowledge of the matter. UNF official Rosette Kaala Namuli Mutyaba, however, said she first heard about the kickback while on a trip to NCS.
Ogwel denied any wrongdoing, saying, "I strongly believe that this is the highest level of falsehood. I have never demanded one."
The committee also questioned the accountability of COVID tests in South Africa, with Muhumuza unable to provide receipts for the exit COVID tests.
As a result, he was asked to be escorted by officers from the Police’s Criminal Investigations Department to the forex bureau where he changed currency before departure to South Africa. The team stayed at San Wan Hotel in Pretoria.
The committee's focus was on the appropriation of funds for the men's netball team's South African trip in 2021, with many questions remaining unanswered.
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