KAMPALA: The Inspector General of Government (IGG) and President of the Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA), Lady Justice Naluzze Aisha Batala, has underscored the importance of financial investigations as a critical tool in detecting crime, dismantling criminal networks and recovering stolen assets.
She made the remarks on Monday in Kampala, while opening a five-day advanced training on financial investigations and virtual assets organized by Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (EAAACA) in collaboration with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
The training is informed by findings from a 2025 Baseline Mapping Exercise which identified key gaps in Uganda’s anti-corruption framework, including limited capacity in forensic accounting, financial analysis and digital investigations, as well as challenges in accessing financial information and lack of standardized procedures.
The programme brings together participants from different Anti-Corruption Agencies (ACAs) and focuses on practical skills in financial investigations, digital evidence handling, open-source intelligence and tracing virtual assets, including through block chain technologies.
Lady Justice Naluzze emphasized the need for stronger inter-agency collaboration, noting that effective enforcement requires coordinated efforts among investigators, prosecutors, regulators and the Judiciary.
She reaffirmed Eastern Africa Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities’s commitment to supporting member states in building resilient and technology-driven anti-corruption systems, and called on participants to translate the training into concrete action.
Francesco Checchi the Team Lead at the UN Office on Drugs & Crime (UNODC) Anti-Corruption Hub for Africa, said the training is aimed at identifying practical solutions in the fight against corruption.
He urged participants to fully engage in the sessions, share experiences and apply the knowledge gained to strengthen investigations and enhance asset recovery efforts.
Dr. Ernest Katwesigye, Uganda’s Lead Focal Person for Asset Recovery Inter-Agency Network for Eastern Africa (ARINEA), noted that the training goes beyond enhancing technical skills, serving as a vital platform for strengthening collaboration among ACAs in the fight against financial crime.
