The Anti-Corruption Court has issued a criminal summons for former Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary Geraldine Ssali after she failed to appear for the mention of a Shs3.8 billion fraud case in which she is jointly charged with three Members of Parliament and other officials.
During Monday’s session, acting Assistant Registrar Patrick Talisuna issued the summons after the prosecution informed the court that Ssali had not communicated any reason for her absence.
Senior State Attorney Raymond Mugisa told the court that all the accused persons were present except Ssali, prompting the state to request a criminal summons as they await communication from the Constitutional Court on a pending human rights application that affects the case.
The matter had been fixed for mention as the parties await a ruling on an application filed by Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, who seeks to have the charges dismissed on grounds that his rights were violated during his arrest and prosecution.
The Counsel holding brief for Ssali’s lawyer informed court that her surety, Kiwanuka, was present but did not give any explanation for Ssali’s absence.
During the session, lawyer Sydney Odong, representing MP Akamba, asked the court to set the next mention date after the general elections, owing to what is going on.
Registrar Talisuna later adjourned the matter to February 5, 2026, extending bail for all accused persons except Ssali and ordering that criminal summons be issued to compel her appearance.
Ssali is jointly charged with MPs Michael Mawanda, Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu, and Paul Akamba, along with lawyer Julius Taitankoko Kirya and former cooperative officer Leonard Kavundira. The group faces charges of abuse of office, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss linked to compensation funds meant for Buyaka Growers Co-operative Society.
Prosecution contends that during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years, Ssali irregularly added Buyaka Growers Co-operative Society to the list of groups eligible for war-loss compensation, despite the society not appearing in the approved supplementary budget. She is further accused of authorising irregular payments amounting to Shs3.8 billion to Kirya and Company Advocates, a law firm owned by co-accused Taitankoko, under the guise of compensating war-loss claimants.
