The Anti-Corruption Court has released Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development Amos Lugoloobi after spending three days at Luzira prison.
Appearing before Senior Principal Magistrate Grade One, Abert Asiimwe, Lugoloobi who is facing two accounts of dealing with suspect property contrary to Section 21 (a) of the Anti-Corruption Act was granted Shs 10 Million cash bail as his sureties were bonded Shs 100 Million noncash.
Court also directed him to deposit the original Land title of him and his diplomatic passport and ordered that he should not leave the country without permission from court.
“I am persuaded that the applicant may not interfere with the investigations and I therefore find no reason to deny him bail. The suspect should therefore desist from any temptation to interfere with the investigations and failure to do so will lead to cancellation of his bail,” he ruled.
Lugoloobi was nabbed last week over allegations related to the mismanagement of iron sheets which were meant for the impoverished people in Karamoja. He reportedly used the 400 iron sheets to roof animal shade at his farm in Bbaale. He is the third minister to be charged over the iron sheets with the first being the minister for Karamoja Mary Goreti Kitutu.
Prosecution avers that between the 14th day of July 2022 and 28th February 2023 at the office of the Prime Minister’s stores in Namanve in Mukono district, He dealt with government property- 400 pre painted iron sheets marked Office of the Prime Minister having reason to believe that they were acquired as a result of loss of public property. The minister however pleaded not guilty to the two counts.
Through his lawyers, Lugoloobi applied for bail. Lugolobi contented that he is suffering from hypertension, Diabetes, and is fresh from a heart surgery which was conducted last year. During his arrest, he had just arrived from Agha Khan Hospital.
Presenting seven sureties who included Namutumba District woman MP Naigaga Mariam; Kiboga County MP Kefa Kiwanuka; Joseph Muvawala, Executive Director of National Planning Authority; Paul Mugamba, Lugoloobi’s best; Kalangwa Moses the Chairman of NRM Kayunga district and Martin Ssekajja, his application was granted.
