Minister Kitutu’s secretary charged, remanded over Karamoja iron sheets 

The senior assistant secretary in the ministry of Karamoja Affairs Joshua Abaho has been remanded over the diversion of iron sheets meant for Karamoja sub region.

Abaho was remanded to Luzira prison until May 2 by the Anti-Corruption court on charges of corruption and conspiring with his boss minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu to defraud the government of its iron sheets.

Abaho on Thursday morning handed himself to court following criminal summons that were previously issued against him by chief magistrate Joan Aciro. He was required to appear and be charged over his role in the iron sheets scandal.

He was then charged with the loss of public property and corruption on the same file where Kitutu and her brother, Michael Naboya Kitutu were previously charged and granted bail. Kitutu and Naboya had also returned to court for the prosecution to inform the court of the status of the investigations.

But after informing the court that investigations into this matter where Kitutu is accused of diverting over 9,000 iron sheets and giving her brother 100 pieces are still ongoing, Abaho was immediately charged with two offences.

Court heard that during the month of January 2023 at the Office of the Prime Minister’s stores in Namanve, Mukono district, Abaho used his position to divert 5,500 iron sheets of gauge 28 belonging to the state.

The prosecution contends that the said iron sheets were meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme but he diverted them for purposes unrelated to those for which they were intended and for the benefit of third parties.

According to the prosecution, Abaho received the iron sheets by virtue of his position for purposes of custody and distribution under the said program.

He was charged with conspiring with Kitutu between the month of June 2022 and January 2023 by deceit to defraud beneficiaries of the Karamoja Community Empowerment Program of 9,000 pre-painted iron sheets of guage 28.

But Abaho denied the charges against him and through his lawyers led by Paul Kutesa asked to be released on bail on grounds that he is innocent and the charges against him are bailable.

He later presented five sureties, Kenneth Mugumya Tebijuka the assistant commissioner in the ministry of Education who is also his elder brother, Johnson Musinguzi his cousin and assistant commissioner ministry of Works and Transport and Geoffrey Ndiwalana the engineer for Makindye Sabagabo municipal council.

Other sureties were Simon Peter Kasyate, his nephew who is also the deputy director of public and corporate affairs at Kampala Capital City Authority and Simon Tumwesigye Karokora his cousin brother who also doubles as the customs supervisor at Uganda Revenue Authority.

Abaho’s lawyers later asked court to find the sureties who have presented their bank statements, recommendation, and introduction letters from their respective LC one chairpersons of their places of residence and their national IDs and employment cards as substantial.

But prosecution led by David Bisamunyu and Jonathan Muwaganya said they were only served with Abaho’s documents on Wednesday. Bisamunyu said that notwithstanding, he had instructions to object to the bail application on grounds that the evaluation report of the land title he presented showed the land is registered as a private mile in his name and it shows two plots of land yet they have brought one land title.

Bisamunyu said the law provides that sureties must be capable of making sure that the accused attends trial and one of the sureties is a nephew and therefore is like a son who can’t compel Abaho to come to court.

He added that the sureties do not have the capacity to meet the terms of the bond as per the regulations governing the Anti-Corruption court and that it is on record that the sureties of Abaho’s co-accused were bonded at Shs 200 million.

Bisamunyu said a quick look at the sureties Abaho has presented indicates that they are not people who are capable of meeting those financial terms and obligations given the balances on their bank statements.

Bisamunyu added that the bank statements of Tumwesigye are even more terrible because he is receiving Sacco money on his personal account which means that people’s savings are at risk.

He, therefore, prayed that the court denies Abaho bail and orders him to deposit his two land titles and that should the court be inclined to release him on bail, it imposes other stringent terms like ordering him to pay cash for bail.

Chief magistrate Aciro adjourned the case to May 2. Kitutu and her brother Naboya who were present in court have had their bail bonds extended until then.

Abaho is the fourth suspect to be charged in the Karamoja iron sheets scandal. The others who were charged previously include. Minister Kitutu, her brother Naboya, minister for Finance and Economic Planning Amos Lugoloobi, and state minister for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu who is still on remand.