KAMPALA, Uganda — Two Ntungamo District officials are accused of using stolen government passwords to effectively turn the public treasury into their personal ATM, allegedly siphoning over 33 million Ugandan shillings in taxpayer funds. Accountant Gadala Rogers and municipal planner Ssozi Denis were charged Friday with exploiting the Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS).
Authorities allege the two obtained colleagues’ login credentials, bypassing standard financial controls. This breach reportedly allowed them to initiate fraudulent payments directly to their personal accounts. The “how” in this case centers on the exploitation of digital access and the failure of safeguards to prevent unauthorized transactions once legitimate credentials were compromised.
The charges include abuse of office, embezzlement, and criminal conspiracy, suggesting a motive of personal enrichment. The stolen passwords allegedly served as the key to accessing the government’s financial system, enabling the alleged theft of funds intended for public services. The case underscores the vulnerability of digital financial systems to insider threats and the potential for significant financial loss when security protocols are inadequate. The legal proceedings are expected to detail the methods used and assess the accountability for the alleged conversion of taxpayer cash for personal gain.
