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MONITOR
Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary Geraldine Busuulwa Ssali, three Members of Parliament and some officials from the same ministry have been committed to High Court for trial over charges of abuse of office, causing financial loss and conspiracy.
Her co-accused three Members of Parliament (MPs) Michael Mawanda (Igara East), Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu (Elgon County) and Paul Akamba (Busiki County) alongside lawyer Julius Taitankoko Kirya and Leonard Kavundira, the principal cooperative officer from the Ministry of Trade.
According to the amended charge sheet that has been presented before the Nakasero-based anti-graft court, under the charge of abuse of office, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), contends that Ms Ssali during the financial years 2021/22 while employed as the permanent secretary and assigned the role of accounting officer, irregularly introduced Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Ltd among the cooperatives to be compensated for the war loss by the government.
The DPP avers that Ms Ssali did this while knowing that Buyaka Growers Cooperatives was not on the list on the request for the supplementary budget dated August 4, 2021.
Under the court of causing financial loss, it’s the prosecution’s case that Ms Ssali, during the financial years 2021/22 and 2022/23, while employed as the permanent secretary, irregularly, made payments to Kirya and Co. Advocates totaling over Shs3.8b meant for Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Ltd.
The prosecution says this was done in contravention of the Treasury instructions of 2017, knowing or having reason to believe that such an act would cause financial loss to the government.
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.
The trio MPs and the other two accused persons were charged with the said offences over a fortnight ago and were at the stage of being granted bail but with the new alternative charges slapped against them, it means they have to apply for bail afresh before the High Court’s Anti-Corruption Division.
MP Mawanda under the charge of diversion of resources, is accused of having converted public funds amounting to over Shs1b for purposes unrelated to that for which they were intended for.
His counterparts Wamakuyu and Akamba are accused of converting public funds amounting to over Shs2.3b and Shs200m respectively for the same government compensation purpose.