Jailed finance officials granted bail but told not to go back to office

Two employees of the Ministry of Finance who have been in custody since March 27 on charges of corruption, have today been granted bail.

John Charles Ogol, a principle finance officer, together with Turyamuhika  Geofrey, a senior economist, were first produced before the Anti-Corruption Court on April 7 and remanded to Luzira prison after denying a bribery allegation.

Prosecution alleges that the two on January 30,2017 at Ministry of fFnance headquarters in Kampala, being public officials, solicited for a bribe of $300,000 and accepted $16,600 each, from a one Hassan Sserunjogi .

The bribe was for expediting documentation concerning the financing and construction of a power sub-station and transmission line for the Guangzhou Dongsongh Energy Group(U)LTD Project in Tororo district.

Presiding Chief Magistrate Agnes Alum ordered each of the accused to pay a cash bail of sh8 million, deposit their passports with court before leaving custody. She also asked that they keep away from the Ministry of Finance until further orders of the court.

Magistrate Alum also noted that the court could not use prosecution’s fears of accused persons being influential government officials, as a ground to deny them bail. She said that bail is a constitutional right given to an accused person to ensure that he gains physical freedom from custody and report back for trial.

They have now been ordered to report back to court on May 22, 2017 to be told prosecution’s position on the  investigations.

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editor@independent.co.ug