The Anti-Corruption Court has committed the Minister for Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu and Minister of State for Finance, Planning and Economic Development Amos Lugoloobi to High Court for trial after the prosecution completed its investigations.
Appearing before Moses Nabende, the Chief Magistrate of Anti-Corruption Court, the two were committed alongside Joshua Abaho, the Senior Secretary at Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and Kitutu’s brother Michael Kitutu Naboya.
During the proceedings, the court ordered his passport to be returned to him since he has adhered to all court directives.
Prosecution avers that between June 2022 and January 2023 at the Office of the Prime Minister stores in Namanve, Kitutu, Abaho and Naboya caused loss of public property in form of 9000 iron sheets by diverting them from the intended purpose of benefiting the Karamoja community empowerment programme to their own benefit knowing that such acts would result into loss of public property.
It is further alleged that the minister alongside her secretary between June 2022 and January 2023 caused the loss of 5,500 iron sheets meant for Karamoja.
Prosecution also states that Naboya Kitutu between similar months at Situmi village, Namisindwa district received 100 iron sheets marked ‘OPM Uganda’ having reason to believe the same to have been feloniously obtained.
Prosecution states 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, Lugoloobi 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.
He reportedly used the 400 iron sheets to roof animal shade at his farm in Bbaale.
Over the weekend, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Jane Frances Abodo dropped charges against Speaker of parliament Anita Among, the Vice president Jesica Alupo and the Prime Minister Robbinah Nabbanja.
She said they have evidence against only three ministers; Agnes Nandutu, Mary Goretti Kitutu, Amos Lugolobi and three other technocrats.
