Kampala, (UG):- The Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate has committed Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary, Mrs Geraldine Busuulwa Ssali together with three Members of Parliament and some officials from the same ministry to High Court for trial over graft-related charges and theft of money in excess of billions meant for cooperatives.
PS Ssali who was arrested on Thursday and detained at Kira Police Division in Wakiso faces charges of abuse of office, causing financial loss and conspiracy. She is charged alongside MPs Michael Mawanda (Igara East), Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu (Elgon County) and Paul Akamba (Busiki County).
Also accused are city lawyer Julius Taitankoko Kirya and Leonard Kavundira, the principal cooperative officer from the Ministry of Trade.
The prosecution’s Charge sheet (amended) tabled before the Chief Magistrate at the Nakasero Anti-Corruption Court, Ms Joan Aciro indicated 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 further contends 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 totalling 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 the government of more than Shs3.4b meant for 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, the 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.
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.
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