The Executive Director of Uganda National Bureau of Standards, David Livingstone Ebiru, testified before the Members of Parliament on the Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities, and State Enterprises (COSASE), claiming he paid Shs100 million bribe to retain his position.
Ebiru, currently under investigation for allegedly misappropriating Shs12.5 billion, revealed during the Wednesday COSASE session that he provided a Shs100 million bribe to members of the National Standards Council, which oversees the bureau’s operations.
According to Ebiru’s account, the Chairperson of the Board of UNBS, Charles Musekuura, informed him that his contract would not be renewed. In response, Ebiru offered the bribe to one of the directors, which he claimed to have borrowed from a bank.
However, the Standards Council members refuted Ebiru’s allegations, asserting that they had never received any money from him. As a result, COSASE handed over both Ebiru and Musekuura to Parliament’s police to record their statements regarding the matter.
This recent revelation comes amidst the ongoing COSASE investigation into Ebiru’s alleged misappropriation of Shs12.5 billion without obtaining required clearance from the Secretary to the Treasury and approval from Parliament.
During a meeting held on Tuesday between COSASE and the bureau, Musekuura, the Chairperson of the Board of UNBS, accused Ebiru of causing financial loss and heading corruption and numerous irregularities within the entity.
COSASE is currently reviewing the Auditor General’s report on the financial statements of UNBS for the financial year that concluded on 30 June 2022. The investigation aims to shed light on any financial discrepancies and hold those responsible accountable. Further developments are expected as the investigation unfolds.