State House Anti-Corruption Unit (Sh-Acu) Intervenes – Retrieves Stolen Government Medicines Worth Shs 21 Billion

Kampala, Friday 4^th March 2022 – On 27th February 2022 the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU) received a tip off from a whistle-blower about theft and storage of government drugs at a private residence of a one Jane Frances Oling in Sekati Zone Mperwerwe parish, Kawempe Division.

Upon a directive from the Head of SH-ACU, Brig. Gen Henry Isoke, the unit’s Investigative team working with the Kanyaya Police carried out a search at the home.

Upon searching the premises it was discovered that 193 boxes of assorted pharmaceutical drugs were in illegal possession by the said occupant.

During the interrogations Ms. Jane Frances Oling claimed that the drugs are for a Community Based Organization (CBO) registered in Oyam District called Women in Development, where she is the Executive Director.

Upon further interrogation

• It was established that Ms. Oling has no legal instrument to operate in any other area except Oyam District where her CBO was registered. It therefore raises a red flag as to why she was operating in Kawempe and is subject to further inquiries.
• The investigations also established that the CBO has no legal relationship with Joint Medical Stores (JMS), which purportedly supplied the impounded drugs recovered at the said premises.
• Oling revealed that she was receiving these medicines informally through an understanding with two staff of JMS however she didn’t have certified copies on how she gets and distributes the drugs.

The Unit working with National Drug Authority (NDA)& a pharmacist from JMS carried out a verification exercise and established that;

1. All the items verified are classified drugs that are not supposed to be found in possession of unqualified persons as in the case of the suspect.
2. Verified items included contraceptives in oral and injectable form and as well as needle-syringe sets and intrauterine devices. A statement was recorded from the NDA Head of the verification team to this effect.
3. Among the Category some boxes were Pregnancy Testing Kits marked Government of Uganda –Not for Sale.)
4. It was also established that two cartons of a drug called Misoprostol (an abortion pill) had expired in May and December 2021.

The suspect in the presence of all the stakeholders acknowledged the findings of the verification exercise.

As it stands the suspect violated The National Drug Policy and Authority Act, section 17 and 27(ii) and has been arraigned at the Chief Magistrates court in Makindye this afternoon together with her co-accused, Ivan Luswata (JMS) & Proscovia Onying (JMS) on charges of Theft, conspiracy to commit a felony, supplying restricted medicines and storage of restricted medicines contrary to the law.

They have been remanded to Luzira Prison until the 15^th March 2022.