By Insight Post Uganda
Kampala, Uganda. Monday saw a dramatic turn of events as the Karamoja Affairs Minister, Mary Goretti Kitutu, found herself at the centre of a new legal storm.
Now, Kitutu, ‘Karamoja’s most haunted ‘rat’ seeks to block her prosecution over fresh charges of causing a staggering Ugx1.5 billion financial loss to the government due to her alleged ‘greed’.
The petition, filed at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala, highlights a complex web of allegations surrounding the misuse of funds intended for peace-building activities in the Karamoja region.
The Inspector General of Government (IGG) alleges that Kitutu, who also serves as the Manafwa District Woman Member of Parliament, is responsible for the financial loss incurred due to her failure to conduct various peace-building activities in Karamoja.
Kitutu, along with three co-accused individuals – Geoffrey Sseremba, Deogratius Masagazi, and Tracy Atuhirwe – from the interdicted Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), faces charges of corruption under Section 2 (h) and 26 of the relevant act.
The gravity of the offences is evident, with the charge of causing financial loss carrying a maximum sentence of 14 years upon conviction, while corruption could result in a 10-year jail term for the accused.
In response to the allegations, Kitutu filed a petition on January 22, 2024, against the IGG and its head, Beti Kamya. Through her legal representative, Jude Byamukama, Kitutu seeks a court declaration asserting that the IGG’s initiation of additional criminal proceedings violates her constitutional rights.
She specifically argues that the charges stem from the alleged mismanagement of a Ugx39 billion supplementary budget intended to support peace-building activities in Karamoja.
Kitutu’s petition further requests the court to issue an order restraining the IGG, its employees, and agents from prosecuting her regarding the alleged mismanagement of the supplementary funds.
The legal battle has now moved to the High Court, where Judge Jane Okuo Kajuga has directed senior officials from the IGG’s office, Vincent Kasujja and senior state attorney Jackie Amusugut, to respond to the allegations within a week.
The prosecution contends that between February and June 2022, Kitutu, in her capacity as the Minister for Karamoja Affairs, failed to conduct essential peace-building activities in the region, leading to the alleged financial loss of Ugx1.5 billion.
Meanwhile, Sseremba and Masagazi, during the same period at the OPM office in Kampala, are accused of improperly authorizing the payment of Ugx2.2 billion to various staff within the OPM, with the intent to benefit themselves and Kitutu.
Tracy Atuhirwe, the accountant in question, faces allegations of failing to manage and ensure accountability for the Ugx2.2 billion, funds earmarked for peace-building activities in Karamoja.
Adding complexity to Kitutu’s legal woes, these fresh charges come at a time when she is already entangled in a trial at the Anti-Corruption Court. The existing case involves accusations of the diversion of iron sheets meant for the Karamoja sub-region.
Kitutu, along with her brother Michael Naboya Kitutu and personal assistant Joshua Abaho, faces charges related to loss of public property and corruption.
As the legal battle continues, the Karimajong are watching closely, and the next hearing on February 1, 2024, is anticipated to provide further insights into the various allegations surrounding the Karamoja Affairs Minister.
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