Rwandan Cashier Charged in Court Over Shs77m SACCO Theft

A 29-year-old cashier working with Uganda Central Cooperative Financial Services (UCCFS) has found herself in legal trouble after being charged with the theft of over Shs77 million.

Hawa Mbabazi, who served as a banking officer at the SACCO’s Nkrumah Road branch in Kampala, appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court. Presiding Senior Principal Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko heard the charges against the accused, which Mbabazi formally denied.

During the court session, defence lawyers requested a short adjournment to properly prepare a formal bail application. Due to the absence of a state representative, the presiding magistrate ordered that Mbabazi be remanded until November 12, 2026.

According to the charge sheet, the offences were allegedly committed between January and July 2026 at Crown House. Prosecutors brought forward five counts of theft under the Penal Code Act. The specific losses include Shs18 million belonging to individual member John Ssenfuma, alongside smaller sums from other members, and a substantial Shs57.015 million belonging to the UCCFS Community Cooperative Savings, bringing the cumulative total to approximately Shs77.245 million.

The case reportedly came to light following an internal investigation triggered by an admission of guilt. UCCFS General Manager Brain Twesigye noted that Mbabazi had worked at the institution since 2018. The discrepancy surfaced in late April when the employee allegedly approached the SACCO treasurer and confessed to unauthorized withdrawals and unrecorded cash deposits.

Management subsequently asked her to submit a written confession detailing the affected accounts. After reviewing the books and confirming initial discrepancies, SACCO executives escalated the matter to law enforcement authorities.

Read more details about this case in the Daily Monitor.