FORMER National Forestry Authority (NFA) boss Damian Akankwasa has been charged again with causing financial loss of sh760m.
He was charged at the Anti-Corruption Court before magistrate Emmanuel Baguma, but he denied the charges. Prosecution, led by Sarah Birungi from the Inspectorate of Government, said Akankwasa, while still the director of the National Forestry Authority between June and July 2009, abused his office. Birungi said Akankwasa allegedly disposed of 40,000 cubic metres of eucalyptus trees at Lendu Central Forest Reserve to M/S Nile Plywood Uganda at a price of sh46,000 per tree, instead of the set price of sh65,000. Akankwasa is also accused of flouting proper disposal procedure under the Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority Act (PPDA). He is also charged with causing financial loss of sh100m for allegedly selling 10,000 eucalyptus poles in Mwenge plantation to Wood Co. Uganda at sh10,000 each instead of sh20,000. Akankwasa was earlier charged with illicit enrichment in connection to a guest house worth sh580m on Plot 11 on St. Balikudembe Road in Naguru, a city suburb. The guest house under construction, according to Birungi, is valued at sh580m, which is not commensurate to his earnings as a civil servant. Akankwasa was also accused of causing a financial loss of sh2b to the forest body. The loss is alleged to have resulted from Akankwasa awarding more than 100,000 cubic metres of round wood from Katugo Central Forest Reserve for harvest at sh62,500 each instead of sh82,500 to Nile Plywood Uganda. Akankwasa paid a cash bail of sh30m, while his six sureties were granted a non-cash bond of sh500m. He was directed to deposit a land title and his passport in court. Akankwasa is under investigation on the directives of the President, into the source of sh900, which he said was stolen by his wife in October 2009.