Summary:
- Five officials from the Post Bank Arua Branch are arrested for allegedly stealing 138,685,450 Ugandan shillings. The investigation began after a complaint was lodged, and the suspects were called for a disciplinary session in Kampala. They now face theft charges, while two officials managed to escape arrest.
The Arua City Central Business Division territorial police have apprehended and detained five officials from the Post Bank Arua Branch on suspicion of embezzling 138,685,450 Ugandan shillings, according to Senior Superintendent of Police, SSP Angucia Josephine, the West Nile Police Public Relations Officer.
The individuals identified by Angucia include Lakwey Leonard, the Operations Manager, Feni Walter, the Customer Service Officer, Lunkuse Resty, a Banking Officer, Tenywa David, a Banking Officer, and Olara Brian Okidi, also a Banking Officer.
The investigation began on February 5th, 2024, when the Regional Head of Distributions for the Northern Region lodged a complaint at Arua CBD, alleging that certain officials of the Post Bank Arua Branch had stolen a sum of 138,685,450/= from the bank.
In response, the police initiated General Enquiry File (GEF) number 21/2024 to probe the accusation. During the end-of-year cash count conducted by the Risk Team from the Post Bank Head Office in Kampala on December 30th, 2023, it was discovered that the sum of 138,685,450/= shillings was unaccounted for.
On February 28th, 2024, seven individuals suspected of involvement in the missing funds were summoned for a disciplinary hearing at the Post Bank Head Office in Kampala. Following the proceedings, Post Bank Uganda’s management decided to pursue criminal proceedings against the seven officials.
Subsequently, the five officials who attended the disciplinary session in Kampala were arrested and later transferred to the Arua City Central Business Division for further investigation. The Branch Manager and the Branch Operations Supervisor evaded arrest as they did not attend the disciplinary session at the Head Office. The suspects are currently facing preliminary charges of theft pending advice from the Resident State Attorney.
