Embattled UNBS Boss, Ebiru, Arrested

The Inspectorate of Government (IG) has Wednesday afternoon arrested David Ebiru, the embattled Executive Director of the Uganda National Bureau of Standards.

This, after Ebiru was sent on a 6-month forced leave.

Ebiru is battling three counts of misappropriation of funds, misconduct and abuse of office.

The Inspector General of Government (IGG) says Ebiru will be arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala this afternoon.

Ebiru has been under investigation by Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE) for misappropriating Shs 12.5 billion .

COSASE was scrutinising the report of the Auditor General on the financial statements of UNBS for the financial year ended 30 June 2022.

UNBS maintains a collection account for money received from PVoC suppliers, a programme that involves inspecting and verifying goods through appointed inspection agents in the exporting country, which generates royalties.

All funds from this account are intended to be transferred to the Consolidated Fund.

Out of the total US$4.9 million in the account, only US$1.5 million had been sent to the Consolidated Fund, while the remaining US$3.4 million was converted and utilised to support the bureau’s operations at its source under the authority of the director, contrary to the law.

Ebiru did not obtain the required clearance from the Secretary to the Treasury and approval from Parliament.

The money was moved from the PvOC account to a Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) account, a programme that was being run by the UNBS.  

Ebiru said UNBS was grappling with an acute shortage of funds and decided to use the money to run the he organisation’s operations. 

The National Standards Council (NSC) on Monday appointed Daniel Richard Nakayi Nagalama to serve as Acting Executive Director of UNBS after Ebiru was sent on forced leave over corruption.

On Wednesday, 19 July 2023, Ebiru confessed to bribing the Chairperson and Board of UNBS with Shs100 Million to avoid his pending suspension.

He later retracted his statements, saying he was emotional.