Danmarks bistand til Uganda har de senere år været ramt af flere sager om millionsvindel. Nu er der dukket tre nye sager op, og to af dem har foreløbig kostet den danske statskasse en kvart million kroner. En af sagerne har oven i købet ramt landets anti-korruptionsenhed.
Det fremgår af udenrigsministeriets website, hvor der gøres rede for sagerne, så snart Rigsrevisionen underrettes.
I den første sag fra anti-korruptionsenheden i hovedstaden Kampala beløber tabet af danske bistandsmidler sig til 156.029 kr.
I den anden sag har en ansat i sundhedsministeriet stjålet 90.962 danske bistandskroner. Han har fået tre års fængsel, men er ikke dømt til at betale pengene tilbage. Dem anser Danida derfor for tabt.
Det giver tilsammen knapt 250.000 kr. i tabte danske midler. I et fattigt land er det rigtig mange gode penge.
Den tredje sag rammer ind i hjertekulen af dansk bistand. Nemlig den indsats, der gøres for at bistå hiv/aids ramte i et land, hvor homoseksuelle forfølges med drakoniske love.
Her efterforskes det, hvad der er blevet af 114.900 danske bistandskroner. Det ved man endnu ikke. Måske er pengene der alligevel – det kan man ikke udelukke p.t.
Det østafrikanske land har i årtier været en af de største modtagere af dansk udvklingsbistand, ikke mindst siden præsident Yoweri Museveni kom til magten i 1986.
Se om den omfattende millionsvindel i 2012 i telegrammet
http://www.u-landsnyt.dk/node/132901
Mere om Uganda generelt på http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uganda
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DOKUMENT – DE TRE SAGER
Sag nr. 1.
KVA 2015-02-11 – C 1365
Directorate of Ethics and Integrity – Component 2 of the Anticorruption Programme II (2008-2010), Uganda.
The funding of the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity (DEI) in Uganda was managed through a delegated partnership between Danida and DFID (det britiske Danida, red.).
DFID funds (58 per cent) together with Danish funds (42 per cent) were disbursed (udbetalt) to DEI over a period of 2 years, totalling approximately DKK 3,928,574.
By the end of the programme, DEI failed to account for approximately DKK 371,500. The Danish share of the funds unaccounted for is DKK 156,029.
In September 2010 the matter was reported to the UK Fraud & Whistleblowing Unit as required by DFID rules.
In January 2011, DFID contracted an independent auditor and upon receipt of no objection from the Office of the Auditor General (rigsrevisor), Uganda, an audit of DEI was initiated.
The audit confirmed the amount that DEI had failed to account for and recommended that the amount be refunded to the donors.
The outstanding Danish balance of DKK 156,029 was also mentioned in the Ugandan Auditor General’s Report for the financial year 2011/12 as not accounted for.
With reference to the Ugandan Auditor General’s report DFID requested DEI to return the outstanding balance.
DFID made several requests to DEI, to the Auditor General, and to the Ministry of Finance of Uganda, but did however, not succeed in recovering the money.
The Danish Embassy in Kampala has on a constant basis been updated by DFID on the many actions taken.
DFID has concluded that it is unlikely that the funds not accounted for will be refunded. The British Counter Fraud Unit has therefore advised DFID to write off the funds.
Based on the recommendation from the British Counter Fraud Unit the Danish Embassy has accepted that the funds not accounted for are registered as a loss.
Even though the management at DEI has been changed, both DFID, Danida, and several other donors have decided not to provide any new funding to DEI.
Based on the above, the case is closed with a loss of DKK 156,029.
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Sag nr. 2.
KVA 2015-03-13 – C 1367
Loss of Danida funds under the Health Sector Programme Support Phase III (HSPSIII), Uganda
In September 2009, the Ministry of Health (MOH) gave cash advances totalling DKK 112,318 to an MOH official for collection of qualitative data needed for the compilation (udarbejdelse) of the Annual Health Sector Performance Report for the financial year 2008/09.
Only DKK 27,318 was accounted for and after a thorough investigation, it was established that the outstanding amount (DKK 90,962) had been embezzled /stolen by the official.
MOH took immediate action and the official has been sentenced to three years in prison.
The criminal proceedings against the official were commenced in 2010 (Police Criminal Case No E400 of 2009) in Uganda High Court (Anti-Corruption Division).
The judgement did not include a requirement for the stolen funds to be recovered.
The case is hereby closed with a loss of DKK 90,962.
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Sag nr. 3.
KVA 2015-03-09 – C 1364
Allegation of fraud (svindel) with a partner under the Civil Society Fund, Uganda
The Civil Society Fund (CSF) objective is to strengthen civil society engagement in national HIV/AIDS response through grants to Civil Society Organisations working with the HIV/AIDS response.
The international firm that acts as fund manager for the CSF has started an investigation of a grant to the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC). The Danish share of the grant is DKK 4,481,100.
JCRC is one of the non-profit organizations actively involved in the provision of medical research in Uganda.
The organisation also provides HIV/AIDS related health care services, training and capacity building for small civil society organizations.
The investigation which will include a forensic audit was initiated based on a whistle blower who reported detailed allegations involving fraud, mismanagement and misappropriation of funds by JSCR.
The Danish share of the amount investigated is approximately DKK 114,900.
An updated report will be forwarded upon further developments in the case.
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Alle tre underretninger til Rigsrevisionen er underskrevet af
Hanne Fritzen, Senior Consultant
Quality Assurance and Financial Management of Development Cooperation (i Danida)
Kilde: UM /Danidas website
