Former Kira Municipality legislator and also the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) Secretary General Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda last week booked an emergency flight to one of the friendly countries in the Middle East after learning that he was being targeted by Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) in the ongoing crackdown on strong opposition politicians in the country.
Ssemujju confirmed through his X handle that the kidnap of his comrade the former Kampala city Lord Mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago who is also his party president found him on flight to Saudi Arabia.
Highly placed sources close to Ssemujju revealed that his emergency flight out of the country resulted from a security tipoff that he was going to be arrested and either be charged in connection with opposition strongman Dr Kizza Besigye’s treason file or with former Speaker Annet Anita Among the former Speaker of Parliament.
Among was placed under house arrest after security raided her houses in Nakasero, Kigo, Bukedea and other places and they recovered a number of exhibits including her newly acquired Rolls-Royce car and other luxurious cars, jewels, money and clothes.
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She was advised that whatever statement she makes during the investigations is likely to be used against her as the criminal proceedings against her kicked off.
Sources close to the ongoing investigations have revealed that detectives have widened their investigations after receiving intelligence briefs linking the alleged corruption and money laundering against Among to other close family members and friends especially opposition MPs, businessmen and women in the country.
Sources said that even though Among was hit by the United States of America, United Kingdom, United Arab Emirates and European union sanctions, which resulted from corruption and money laundering practices, she financially survived because some of her money was kept in offshore bank accounts.
Offshore bank accounts are savings accounts opened in a jurisdiction other than your own country of residence.
The practice is useful for expatriates, international freelancers, and global businesses looking to hold multiple currencies, reduce exchange fees.
The money is kept in different names of people in those jurisdictions.
Investigators are looking at the allegations that after routing the countries treasury through her office, Among was keeping the money in offshore bank accounts and her husband who is also the president of the Federation of Uganda Football Association (FUFA) strongly helped her to get connections who kept her money safe.
It was reported that Among told President Museveni that among the people who were facilitating her luxuries life is a top city businessman.
This businessman has been a close associate to Among and on several occasions attended her parties at her homes and she also saved him from being probed by parliamentary committees on the allegations of participating in illegal activities.
This website has learnt that investigators also zeroed on Ssemujju who they claim was being helped by Among through facilitating his frequent official travels abroad so to seal his political and financial interests.
Sources claim that when the first PFF Delegates Conference nearly failed to take place because the party did not have money yet their principal funder Dr Besigye was in prison, Ssemujju shocked friends when he brought Shs1.5bn in sacks to help in organizing the function.
Lukwago was shocked and placed Ssemujju on the wall to explain where he received the money from noting that the reason why they left Najjanakumbi’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) was because of such strange money.
Ssemujju asked other leaders to accept the money promising to explain its source after the function.
Because the party was still young, the party elders advised Lukwago to let the issue of money go for the unity of the party.
Sources allege that Ssemujju received the said money from Among, and investigators are also probing allegations that Among was funding a number of opposition parties to create political alliances to help her to takeover State power.
Sources divulge that through his dealing with Among, Ssemujju accumulated a lot of wealth and owns land, commercial buildings and schools locally and abroad and since Among’s troubles started, he has been very scared of being added on her criminal file.
Before his emergency flight, Ssemujju told Ono Bwino that for him, he cannot sacrifice his life fighting for Uganda noting that if the political situation in the country threatens his life, he will run to exile to survive.
Ono Bwino has also learnt that Bukoto Central member of parliament Richard Ssebamala is also under investigations on grounds that the money he used in the contest against Justices and Constitutional Affairs minister Norbert Mao for the position of the president of the Democratic Party was given to him by Among.
Ssebamala is also accused of benefiting from Among through frequent official travels abroad to allegedly seal her political and financial interests.
Ssebamala confirmed that he owns property in the United States of America and in other countries like Kenya, Zambia and according to sources, detectives want to know whether the money used to purchase those properties was not public money.
Efforts to get a comment from Ssebamala were futile since he did not pick our phone calls. But one of his political assistants told Ono Bwino that his principal is rich because of the valuable global connections he has including being a friend to Kenyan President Dr William Ruto who even invited him to attend his swearing-in ceremony.
