The Anti-Corruption Court has committed to the High Court three Members of Parliament, Geraldine Ssali, the Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary, and some officials to face trial in connection with the diversion of funds meant for compensating several cooperatives.
The court committed MPs Michael Mawanda (Igara East), Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu (Elgon County), and Paul Akamba (Busiki County) together with Julius Taitankoko Kirya, a lawyer, and Leonard Kavundira, the principal cooperative officer from the Ministry of Trade when they appeared on Friday.
The group faces charges of abuse of office, causing financial loss, and conspiracy to fraud.
According to the charge sheet, under the charge of abuse of office, during the financial years 2021/22 while employed as the permanent secretary and assigned the role of accounting officer, irregularly added Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society among those to be paid war loss compensation in the FY 2021/22, yet it was not initially liste
She subsequently conspired with others and irregularly made payments of UGX 3.4B meant for the Cooperative to Kirya & Co. Advocates, causing financial loss to government. She has been remanded.
On the count of conspiracy to defraud, it’s the prosecution’s case that Ms Ssali alongside MPs Mawanda, Wamakuyu and Akamba between 2019 and 2023 conspired to defraud government of more than Shs3.4b which was intended for the war loss compensation to Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Ltd.
Others facing this particular charge of conspiracy to defraud are Mr Julius Kirya, the managing partner of Kirya & Co. Advocates, and Mr Leonard Kavundira, the Principal Cooperative Officer, Trade Ministry.
The new alternative charges that were introduced against the accused who are already on remand include; receiving stolen property against MPs Mawanda, and MP Wamakuyu, a new alternative charge of stealing by an agent and money laundering against Mr Kirya, and another new alternative charge of abuse of office against Mr Kavundira.
