Trade Ministry PS, three MPs and 2 others committed to High court for fraud, remanded

Kampala July 19—Anti-Corruption court Chief Magistrate, Joan Aciro, has committed the Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary, Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa, three Members of Parliament, Michael Mawanda (  ), Ignatius Wamakuyu (  ) and Paul Akamba (   ), a lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko and a Principal Cooperative officer, Leonard Kavundira to the High Court to face charges of abuse of office, causing financial loss to the government and conspiracy to defraud the government of over 3.6 billion shillings meant to compensate war loss victims in Cooperative Unions. The group was remanded to Luzira prison for a month.

Prosecution alleges that during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years while serving as the accounting officer of the Ministry of Trade, Geraldine Ssali irregularly introduced Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society for government compensation despite it was not being listed in the August 2021 supplementary budget. She is accused of making irregular payments amounting to 3.87 billion shillings to Kirya and Company Advocates, which was in violation of Treasury instructions.

Geraldin Ssali and her co-accused are alleged to have conspired to defraud the government of 3.4 billion shillings intended for Buyaka Growers Co-operative Society.

MP Mawanda under the charge of diversion of resources, is accused of having converted public funds amounting to over 1 billion shillings for purposes unrelated to that for which they were intended for while Wamakuyu and Akamba are accused of converting public funds amounting to ove 2.3 billion shillings and 200 million shillings respectively for the same government compensation purpose.

The Chief State Attorney, Edward Muhumua told court that inquiries are complete and has been instructed to transfer the six suspects to the Ant-Corruption High Court for trial.

Muhumuza also presented to court committal papers summarising the evidence including the details about MP Mawanda’s connection with Kirya and Company Advocates and MPs Akamba and Wamakuyu’s roles in approving cooperatives compensation.