The trial of former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Ssali, and her co accused, Member of Parliament Mawanda, in a corruption case involving Shs3.8 billion has not been heard for a year which raises questions over delays in the administration of justice.
Court records show that the matter, which initially drew significant public attention, has remained dormant despite the gravity of the allegations and the scale of the funds in question.
The latest development in the case traces back to April 17, 2026, when Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court adjourned proceedings to May 29, pending a ruling from the Constitutional Court.
The delay arises from a petition filed by Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, one of the accused, who is challenging his trial before the Anti-Corruption Court on grounds that he was allegedly tortured by security personnel. In his petition, Akamba is seeking dismissal of the charges, citing violations of his fundamental human rights.
Other accused persons in the case include lawyer Julius Kirya, Igara East MP Michael Mawanda Muranga, Elgon County MP Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudiimi, and Leonard Kavundira, a principal cooperative officer in the Ministry of Trade.
According to the prosecution, the case stems from the alleged irregular handling of compensation funds meant for Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited. The state contends that Ssali abused her authority during the 2021/2022 financial year by introducing the cooperative onto the list of beneficiaries for war loss compensation, yet it had not been included in the original supplementary budget request dated August 4, 2021.
“The inclusion of the cooperative was done outside the established legal and administrative framework and was prejudicial to the interests of government,” the prosecution states in court filings.
Prosecutors further allege that Ssali authorized payments totaling Shs3.8 billion to Kirya and Company Advocates over the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years, in contravention of the 2017 Treasury Instructions governing public expenditure.
“The accused knew or ought to have known that her actions would result in financial loss to the government,” the prosecution maintains.
The state also accuses the group, along with others still at large, of conspiring between 2019 and 2023 to defraud the government of approximately Shs3.4 billion intended for compensating the cooperative for losses linked to past conflicts.
Prosecution traces the compensation claims to the 1981 to 1986 liberation war and subsequent insurgencies, during which several cooperative unions reportedly suffered destruction of assets and disruption of operations, prompting demands for government redress.
The prolonged inactivity in the case, now tied to constitutional proceedings, risks undermining public confidence in the justice system, particularly in cases involving accountability for public funds.
The matter remains pending before the Anti-Corruption Court, with its progress now dependent on the outcome of the Constitutional Court petition.
