A senior official from Lugazi Municipality has been charged in court for allegedly extorting money from a job applicant in exchange for a government position.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) working together with the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) arraigned Mugerwa Ronald Saaku, the Probation and Welfare Officer of Lugazi Municipality, before the Mukono Chief Magistrate’s Court.
He is facing charges of obtaining money by false pretense and conspiracy to defraud, and has been remanded until October 21, 2025.
According to prosecution, between January and June 2025, Mugerwa allegedly conspired with Dr. Wataba Saadi, the Lugazi Municipal Medical Officer, and Sekikubo Mubarak, an LCIII representative from Nakisunga Sub-County, to defraud Dr. Mukisa George William of Shs 38 million. The trio reportedly told the victim that the money would be used to “facilitate” members of the Mukono District Service Commission to secure him a position as a Medical Officer in the district.
While Mugerwa has been arrested and charged, his alleged accomplices, Dr. Wataba and Sekikubo, are currently on the run. The court has issued criminal summons for Dr. Wataba’s appearance.
Investigators say the case came to light after the State House Anti-Corruption Unit received a whistleblower complaint on July 7, 2025, exposing irregularities in recruitment by the Mukono District Service Commission. The report indicated that some members of the Commission were soliciting and receiving bribes from job applicants in exchange for appointments to public service positions.
Officials from the anti-corruption unit confirmed that several similar cases involving the same individuals and other Commission members are still under investigation.
State House has reiterated President Yoweri Museveni’s repeated warnings to District Service Commissions across the country to stop the illegal sale of government jobs, saying such acts undermine public trust and must be met with firm legal action.
