11 UWA Staff Remanded over Ugx 9Bn Gorilla Permit Fraud

Eleven senior officials of the Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA) have been remanded to Luzira prison by the Anti-Corruption Court on charges related to corruption and causing financial loss amounting to   9.3 billion shillings in connection with fraudulent issuance of Gorilla and Chimpanzee tracking permits.

According to charges sanctioned by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane  Frances Abodo, the offenses were committed between July 2020 and September 2023 at UWA headquarters in Kampala. 

The accused include Directors, Wardens, Accountants, ICT managers, sales executives, and other staff from UWA’s Tourism and Finance Departments.

Among those charged is  Stephen Sanyi Masaba, Director of Tourism and Business Development; Jimmy Mugisa – Director of Finance and Administration, Robert Maani – Senior Warden Accounts, Alfred Emmanuel Ndikusooka – ICT Manager and Leslie Muhind – former Head of Reservations.

Others include ICT and sales officers Gilbert Mwesigwa, Gad Ekochu, Shafik Twebaze, Susan Ayupa, Josephine Kayonza, Rose Namutebi, Grace Mubeezi, and three other staff from the Records and Accounting Departments.

Prosecution alleges that the officials neglected their duties, manipulated UWA’s digital permit management system, known as the GoChimp System resulting in the issuance of thousands of invalid tracking permits that allowed tourists to access Gorilla and chimpanzee parks without proper authorization.

The fraudulent activities reportedly affected major national parks, including Bwindi, Mgahinga, Kibale, and Queen Elizabeth, where tracking of Gorillas and Chimpanzees takes place.

According to the Investigators and the DPP,  over 8,400 fake permits were generated under different user accounts belonging to the accused, whereas in some cases user accounts were allegedly shared with interns and unauthorized staff to book or print fake permits, resulting in huge revenue losses to the Authority.

The suspects who were rounded up yesterday face multiple counts of corruption, neglect of duty, and causing financial loss, contrary to the Anti-Corruption Act, 2009, as well and conspiracy to defraud.

Eleven out of the 15 suspects have appeared before Chief Magistrate Reachel Nakyazze and denied the offenses.

The magistrate has remanded them to Luzira prison until the 31st October, when they return to apply for bail. 

The 4 missing suspects have also been issued with criminal summons to appear in court that day.