The Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mary Goretti Kimono Kitutu and her brother Michael Naboya Kitutu, will spend Easter weekend in Luzira prison after they failed to secure last-minute bail from the Anti-Corruption Court whose magistrate remanded them for allegedly diverting iron sheets meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme.
The presiding Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro said she needed sufficient time to scrutinize the bail application of Ms Kitutu and Naboya who were arraigned before her on Thursday afternoon on charges of causing loss of public property, corruption, and conspiracy to defraud the government.
Last minute pleas by her defence lawyers led by Michael Wamasebu to give the minister interim bail fell on the magistrate’s deaf ears.
They are expected to return to court on April 12 when the magistrate hopes to make a ruling on the bail application.
During court proceedings, the minister denied charges of causing loss of public property and conspiracy to defraud.
“I have heard and understand the charge; it is not true and I am not guilty,” Ms Kitutu responded when the charges were read to her.
The court also issued criminal summons for the third suspect, Mr Joshua Abaho, the Senior Assistant Secretary in the in the ministry of Karamoja Affairs, who is said to be on the run. He is also expected to appear in court on April 12 to plead to the charges.
