Dark Secrets Emerge About Why Ex Netball Federation President Sarah Kityo Was Arrested – Remanded To Luzira

The embattled president of the deposed Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) Sarah Babirye Kityo has been remanded to Luzira prison.

She was arrested yesterday, interrogated at the Criminal Intelligence Directorate (CID) headquarters, Kibuli and later detained at Kira Road Police station.Appearing before the Anti-Corruption Court, Babirye was charged with fraud.

She pleaded not guilty. Through her lawyers, Babirye applied for bail. Her application will be determined tomorrow.She is accused of failing to account for Shs186 million she received from the National Council of Sports a few days before the She Cranes left for the Namibia 2021 Tournament.

She claimed that she was tasked to first account for Shs425 million which she did not receive and later said Shs186 million.The charging of Babirye follows her open-ended suspension as the president of UNF over corruption and mismanagement of funds.

Additionally, last month, the National Council of Sports (NCS) withdrew a certificate of recognition issued by the UNF. The federation is currently not allowed conduct any business related to the sport of netball on behalf of the government of Uganda.

Prosecution case

According to the charge sheet, between the months of November and December 2021 at Uganda Netball Federation with intent to defraud, Ms Kityo and others still at large made or was privy to making false accountability in request to Shs186, 374,110 released by National Council of Sports to the Federation for pent series and African National Championship in Namibia.

Second case

Ms Kityo is also on bail on other charges of obtaining Shs16 million by false pretence before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court. The development comes weeks after the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports Janet Museveni last month ordered the National Council of Sports (NCS to keep the Uganda Netball Federation (UNF) president Sarah Babirye Kityo out of office following questions of accountability which saw her suspended.

In a letter dated October 4, 2023, Janet Museveni asked NCS to “formally direct NCS who are the regulators of sports in Uganda, to execute and invoke the relevant provisions of the law to ensure strict compliance of the same in respect to UNF.”

“To immediately withdraw the certificate of recognition from the UNF, should they fail to meet the requirements of a national sports federation,” the statement adds.

Earlier this year, Janet Museveni chaired two meetings with Babirye and other netball officials, the minister of state for sports, attorney general, the Inspectorate of Government, ministry officials and NCS.That April meeting resolved that Babirye take a leave of absence until investigations by the auditor general’s office and Police’s Criminal Investigations Department are concluded.

However, Babirye earlier returned to office on July 21 before the issue was resolved. She claimed to have served her 90-day leave. This caused a fracas at the federation offices as security personnel deployed by the acting president Brig. Gen. Flavia Byekwaso were asked to stand following a string of phone calls that eloped in the minister of internal affairs Gen. Kahinda Otafiire.