Gov’t freezes accounts of two NGOs for allegedly financing terrorism activities.

By Kabuye Ronald

Uganda’s Financial Intelligence Authority (FIA) executive director Sydney Asubo has written to Stanbic Bank, Absa, Standard Chartered bank and KCB instructing them to freeze the funds of two non-government organization’ funds on a number of accounts in those bank since they are suspected to have involved themselves in terrorism financing.

According to the letter dated 10, December, 2020 by Sydney Asubo addressed to the director of public prosecution (DPP) and received on the same date, it indicates that FIA received intelligence from one of the security agencies indicating that the National NGO forum and the Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET) were involved in terrorism financing activities.

According to the letter, the above informed FIA’s decision to direct three banks to freeze the funds on the account of the two NGOs in accordance with section 17A (1) of the Anti-Terrorism (amendment) Act, 2015.

The letter however, was silent on the exact terrorism activities the two renowned NGOs financed.

“Consequently, in accordance with section 17A (1) of the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) act 2015, we caused the freezing of funds on the bank accounts held by;

1. The Uganda NGO forum in stanbic Bank (u) ltd (9030005662019, 9030005606496, and 9030015821956) Absa bank (u) ltd (0341996317, 6001944051 and 6003124337) Standard Chartered Bank (u) ltd (0108212045100, 0108212045101, and 0108212045102) and KCB (u) ltd (2202265783) and
2. The Uganda Women’s Network in Stanbic Bank (U) ltd (9030005606445, 9030005606496, 9030005606534, 9030005606461, 9030005606488, 9030005606534, 9030005606453, 9030005606518, and 90300012369947) read Asubo’s letter to DPP

Asubo also requested the DPP to further investigation and management as per section 17A (2) of the Anti- Terrorism (Amendment Act, 2015.)