Karamoja: Minister Kitutu further remanded 

The minister of Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu has further been remanded to Luzira prison by the Anti-Corruption court. 

Kitutu was last week arraigned before the court on charges of causing loss of public property by diverting 14,500 pieces of iron sheets that were meant to benefit the people of Karamoja under the Karamoja Community Empowerment Program. 

On Wednesday she appeared in court to hear her bail application on grounds that she is suffering from hypertension and heart-related illness and is of the advanced age of 61 years. She presented four sureties including her husband Michael Kitutu, family friends; Simon Mulongo, a diplomat at African Union, Dr Joel Wandagwa and Mbale City North MP Seth Wambede.

However, court was told that it is only Wambede who is substantial and the rest are non-substantial sureties. The magistrate said that since the minister is being charged with an economic crime, her three sureties did not have proof of employment to demonstrate their financial capability to fulfil their obligations as sureties.  

According to Aciro, the proof could have been a name of a registered business, bank statements, or employment cards because a mere mention of places of work or being a prominent member of society is not sufficient in the court’s view for one to qualify as a substantial surety.

Aciro advised Kitutu to present other sureties alongside Wambede who was approved by the court, saying that one person alone is not enough to stand surety as per the guidelines on bail.    

After denying Kitutu bail, her lawyers proceeded to apply for bail on behalf of her brother Michael Naboya Kitutu with whom they are jointly charged. Naboya’s lawyer Michael Wamasebu told court that he is a peasant farmer and family man with five children to look after who are aged between six months and 14 years.

Wamasebu added that his client has four acres of land in Namisindwa district and has substantial sureties including her partner Irene Wandagwa, a retired resident district commissioner, and Tadeo Walwa, the LC III chairperson of Bukawekha sub-county in Namisindwa District.

But the prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya opposed the bail application of Naboya saying one of his sureties, Walwa has presented introduction letters not addressed to the court and therefore not fit the suitability of the bail application.

Muwaganya said the author of the letter doesn’t properly identify himself. He added it’s even more worrying that the particulars of the surety’s national ID presented him as a resident of Manafwa district contrary to the particulars of being from Namisindwa district.

Muwaganya argued that LC III chairpersons are not salary earners and therefore there is no evidence in form of bank statements adduced to show his economic returns and capacity to stand surety.

Kitutu who was brought to court escorted by the safety and security unit of prison was further remanded to Luzira women’s prison until April 14 while Naboya will return to court on April 27 for a ruling on his application.

Criminal summons have further been extended for their co-accused Joshua Abaho the senior assistant secretary OPM who did not show up in court because his wife is sick and admitted at Nakasero hospital.