A legal team representing Uganda’s State Minister for Economic Monitoring, Amos Lugoloobi, has asked the Anti-Corruption Court to dismiss charges against him, arguing that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence.
Lugoloobi is accused of mishandling iron sheets intended for vulnerable communities in Karamoja.
On Monday, the minister’s lawyers—John Isabirye, Ritah Asiimwe, Tony Tumukunde, and Alex Luganda—made their case after the prosecution concluded with testimony from 11 witnesses.
The key issue under debate is whether Lugoloobi should be compelled to defend himself based on the prosecution’s evidence or be acquitted.
Prosecutors claim Lugoloobi received 700 iron sheets marked “Office of the Prime Minister” from government stores between July 2022 and March 2023.
These materials were allegedly diverted for personal use, including roofing structures on the minister’s farm in Bale and donating some to New Hope Primary School in Kayunga District.
Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Josephine Namatovu told the court that 316 iron sheets were used to roof a goat shed on Lugoloobi’s farm, while 84 were found installed at the school.
The prosecution also argued that the law does not require a prior conviction to prove the misuse of government property.
Instead, they only need to show that Lugoloobi had reason to believe the iron sheets were acquired illegally.
Defense Arguments
Lugoloobi’s legal team countered that the prosecution’s case was weak and failed to show that the iron sheets were intended for Karamoja’s vulnerable communities.
“The prosecution has not addressed key questions about whether these iron sheets were truly meant for Karamoja,” argued lawyer Alex Luganda.
He also pointed out that the government stores at Namanve contained iron sheets earmarked for multiple relief efforts, making it unclear whether the ones in question were specifically allocated to Karamoja.
The defense further argued that none of the witnesses had placed the minister directly at the scene where the iron sheets were taken.
They dismissed the case as speculative, saying the guidelines for distributing the iron sheets were not officially documented, making it difficult for Lugoloobi to know he was handling them improperly.
“Even the prosecution’s main witness, the accounting officer Geoffrey Sseremba, admitted that these guidelines were not gazetted,” Luganda added.
The defense also argued that, for the charge of handling stolen property to stand, the original thief must first be identified and convicted, which has not been done in this case.
Prosecution Pushes for Trial
Namatovu maintained that actual presence at the scene of the crime was not necessary for a conviction, as the offense involved misappropriation rather than direct theft.
She insisted that Lugoloobi must explain how he came to possess government property meant for relief efforts.
“We are asking the court to find that the minister has a case to answer and should be placed on defense,” Namatovu said.
Court Decision Set
The court, presided over by Justice Kajuga, will decide on November 4, 2024, whether Lugoloobi must present his defense or if the charges will be dropped.
If the judge finds that he has a case to answer, Lugoloobi will be required to defend himself in court before a final judgment is made.
If convicted, the minister could face a fine of up to 160 currency points or imprisonment of up to seven years, or both.
Lugoloobi, who is currently out on bail, has denied any wrongdoing throughout the case.
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