Zimbabwe Court Freezes Ugandan Red Cross Official’s Mansions Over Corruption

Summary:

• The Zimbabwe High Court has frozen two mansions worth $300,000 belonging to Robert Kwesiga, Secretary General of the Uganda Red Cross, and his wife, citing corruption allegations. The couple must explain the source of funds used to buy the mansions or risk seizure.

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The Zimbabwe High Court has frozen two mansions worth $300,000 belonging to Robert Kwesiga, the Secretary General of the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS), and his wife Sandie Hilda, over allegations of corruption. The mansions, located in the posh suburbs of Harare, were purchased in 2012 while Kwesiga was working for the Danish Red Cross in Zimbabwe.

According to the National Prosecuting Authority of Zimbabwe, the couple has 30 days to explain the source of the money used to buy the mansions or risk having them seized by the government. The Prosecutor-General described the court judgment as a victory against crime and corruption, stating that there are reasonable grounds for suspecting that the couple was involved in serious crime as their lawful income was insufficient to enable them to lawfully acquire the properties.

Kwesiga has responded to the allegations, stating that he and his wife acquired the properties using legally obtained funds. He claimed that he was working as an expatriate with diplomatic accreditation from 2005-2013 and that the court decision was a shocker to him and his wife. He added that they have shared the documents requested by the court with their lawyers and await the final verdict.

The Uganda Red Cross Society has distanced itself from the allegations, stating that Kwesiga acquired the property while working in Zimbabwe and that it has nothing to do with his current role as Secretary General.

What you need to know
Robert Kwesiga took over leadership of URCS after his predecessor, Richard Michael Nataka, was convicted and sentenced to seven years in jail for defrauding his employer of more than Shs1.2b in 2013. Nataka was fired in 2015 alongside his management team over allegations of corruption.

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