Malaria control experts held
New Vision | March 10, 2010
Three top officials in the Ministry of Health who were in charge of the malaria control programme were yesterday remanded to Luzira Prison after they were charged with corruption.
The officials were Dr. Richard Ndyomugyenyi, the programme officer, Dr. Myers Lugemwa, a senior medical officer, and Martin Shibeki, a programme assistant.
The three are accused of ordering and distributing anti-malaria drugs between 2008 and 2009 in order to 'illicitly' obtain benefits for themselves or a third party.
The three were brought to the Buganda Road Court aboard a Police patrol truck, escorted by Police officers from the nearby Central Police Station where they had spent the night after their arrest on Tuesday.
The magistrate, John Wekesa, said he would rule on Friday whether to grant them bail or not. The accused took turns to share the only chair that was in dock. At one point, Dr. Ndyomugyenyi had to be given fruit juice during the court session, that lasted over two hours.
The magistrate rejected the arguments by the defence lawyers that the charge sheet was defective as it did not give details of the offence committed. Wekesa said such technicalities could be argued out during the trial.
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