Reported by Sandra Ainebyona
The Anti-Corruption Court sitting in Kampala Uganda has denied bail to the jailed Minister in charge of Karamoja Affairs. Kitutu was on April 6 remanded to Luzira government prisons on charges of loss of public property, corruption, receiving stolen property, and conspiracy to defraud. The charges are in respect of the alleged loss of public property in form of 14,500 iron sheets. Kitutu is accused of diverting the iron sheets from the intended purpose of benefiting the Karamoja community empowerment programme to her own benefit, well knowing that such acts would result into loss of public property
While dismissing the bail application, the Anti – Corruption Court presiding Magistrate Her Worship Josephine Namatovu said that the two sureties presented by Kitutu were not substantial. The court found only one surety Simon Mulongo the Member of Parliament for Mbale substantial. The magistrate declined to grant bail and remanded further Mary Kitutu until April 14th when she would present new sureties.
During the hearing, Paul Kutesa counsel for Abaho Joshua the second accused, informed court that his client was ill and had been hospitalized, the reason why he was absent from court. He requested the court to grant his client two days so that he appears in court when he has finished his medication. The Magistrate ordered that Abaho appears in court on 27th April to answer to the charges.
