Embattled Lwengo district woman MP, Cissy Namujju and Bunyole East county MP Yusuf Mutembuli have been committed to High Court for trial.
Their committal followed the conclusion of investigations into the matter. Meanwhile, their counterpart Busiki County MP Paul Akamba didn’t show for court proceedings.
Akamba was released last Friday granted Shs13 million after spending two days at Luzira prison.
According to his lawyers led by Bugiri Municipality Asuman Basalirwa, Akamba has not been acesed following his re-arrest.
The three were nabbed on June 10, 2024 after they had been summoned to record statements about corruption-related allegations. The group was quizzed and later detained at Kira Police Divisional Headquarters, where they spent two nights.
They were later arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro and charged with corruption and influence peddling.
The prosecution alleges that while at Hotel African on May 13, 2024, the three solicited a bribe from the executive director of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, Mariam Wangadya, to enhance the commission’s 2024/25 budget. The group would take 20% of the enhanced budget.
The trio pleaded not guilty and subsequently remanded to Luzira Prison.
Their arrest followed President Yoweri Museveni’s remarks revealing that there is a racket of people in the ministry of finance and parliament taking bribes to approve the budgets of various government agencies.
“I have been getting good information about corrupt actors not only among public servants but also among political actors. With some evidence, we shall crush these traitors.” Museveni said.
“I have been hearing, but now I have proof. I have been hearing from the Ministry of Finance; they arrange for accounting officers of ministries to come to parliament. Working with some people there to provide certain funds, provided you take a share, I didn’t believe it, but now I have proof,” Museveni said.
