The Anti-Corruption Court on Friday granted City Lawyer, John Matovu a 20-million-shilling cash bail.
Matovu had been remanded to Luzira Prison after being charged with theft by agent and conspiracy to defraud the government of more than 4 billion shillings.
The stolen money was meant to compensate the Busoga Growers Cooperative Union for war loss.
Senior Acting Principal Magistrate Grade One Abert Asiimwe granted Matovu’s bail application since he has substantial sureties presented by his lawyer, Joel Israel Kidandaire.
The conditions of Matovu’s bail include surrendering his passport, not leaving the country without permission, and not interfering with prosecution witnesses. His sureties signed a non-cash bond of 50 million shillings.
Matovu is jointly charged with three others, including Charles Basoga, Chairperson of Busoga Growers Cooperative Union, and James Muganza, the Jinja District Commercial Officer.
The prosecution alleges that they conspired to defraud more than four billion shillings that was meant for war loss compensation, with Matovu and another lawyer, Fred Makada, facing separate counts of theft by agent.
Prosecution alleges that Basoga being employed as the Chairperson of Busoga Growers Union between the years 2018 to 2023 in Jinja District received 569.5 million shillings funds that were meant for war loss compensation.
According to the Prosecutors, Basoga put the said money to personal use knowing or having reason to believe that such an act would cause financial loss to the Union.
It is also alleged that Muganza while employed as a District Commercial officer in abuse of authority of his employer did an arbitrary act prejudicial to the interest of his employer by receiving 250 million shillings.
While City lawyers John Matovu and Fred Makada are accused of theft by agent by stealing four billion fifty one million and five hundred thousand and 1.2 billion shillings respectively.
Meanwhile, the same court has given an ultimatum to Matovu’s co-accused Fred Makada to appear in court on September 2, 2024. The Court has heard that Makada is reportedly in the USA nursing a blood clot.
Asiimwe warned Makada that failure to comply would lead to his arrest by the International Community through Interpol.
Matovu returns to court on September 2nd 2024 to argue his application seeking to block his prosecution, claiming the charges are malicious and intended to tarnish his name.
The main case is scheduled for mention on September 6, 2024, as investigations continue.
This is the second file of suspects being brought to the Anti-corruption court for charges related to the theft of multi-billions of cooperative cash.
The first group involves three MPs, a lawyer, Permanent Secretary Geraldine Ssali and a trade official who have been on remand for nearly a month and were last week committed to the High Court to face trial.
Igara East MP, Michael Mawanda, Elgon County MP, Mudimi Wamakuyu, and their Busiki County counterpart, Paul Akamba. The quartet is jointly charged with Leonard Kavundira, principal cooperative officer in the ministry of Trade, and city lawyer, Julius Kirya Taitankoko.
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