Villager convicted of stealing over 1.6m/- from AMCOS

KAGERA: THE Kagera Resident Magistrate’s Court has convicted Mr Anthony Kagombora, a farmer from Kihumulo Village in Bukoba District Council, for stealing 1.6m/- belonging to Kihumulo Agricultural Marketing Cooperative Society (AMCOS).

Mr Kagombora was sentenced to pay a fine of 500,000/- or serve one year in prison after being found guilty of corruption and theft, contrary to Section 15 (1)(a) and (2) of the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bureau (PCCB) Act, Revised Edition 2023.

The court also ordered him to repay the full amount of 1,626,570/- to Kihumulo AMCOS within two weeks.

During the hearing of Corruption Case No. 24775/2025, PCCB prosecutor Daudi Jacob Oringa told the court that the accused had fraudulently claimed to have sold Robusta coffee to the AMCOS during the 2024/2025 season. Based on that false claim, he was paid over 1.6m/-, knowing that he had not supplied any coffee.

In her ruling, Principal Resident Magistrate Janeth Massesa stated that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt. Kagombora opted to pay the fine instead of serving the jail sentence.

In a separate case, the same court also convicted Siraji Amada Yusuph, the Chairman of Rusaka Village in Buhendangabo Ward, for misappropriating 223,000/- intended for the construction of a water tank at Rushaka ‘B’ Primary School.

Prosecutors William Fussi and Daudi Jacob Oringa from PCCB told the court that Yusuph convened a village assembly where residents agreed to raise funds for the school project. After collecting the contributions, however, Yusuph failed to transfer the money to the school committee and instead used it for personal gain.

In Corruption Case No. 24654/2025, Magistrate Massesa ruled that the prosecution had proven the case beyond reasonable doubt. Yusuph was sentenced to pay a fine of 500,000/- or serve one year in prison. He also opted to pay the fine.