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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Anti-Corruption Court has granted bail to the Minister in charge of Karamoja Affairs Mary Gorreti Kitutu.
Kitutu was granted cash bail of 10 Million Shillings after resubmitting fresh sureties after the previous ones were rejected by Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro.
Kitutu’s lawyers Michael Wamasebu, Jude Byamukama, and John Musiime on Friday presented sureties with documents of identification, registration of their respective businesses, and their bank statements to show their earnings as well as introduction letters from their respective chairpersons.
The sureties are Dominic Gidudu Mafabi, the State Minister representing the Elderly People and also the MP Elderly for Eastern Region, and Godfrey Wakili, the National Chairman of the National Resistance Movement and MP for Butiru County in Manafwa District.
Others are Peter Werike, the MP for Bubulo West, Gregory Mafabi a businessman and the proprietor of Palm Hotel and Kayijo Hotel and Dr. John Seith Magolo the MP for Bugonkho County in Mbale District.
The State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya said he has no objection to the sureties since they have presented the required documents. He however asked that stringent terms should be imposed against the suspects in the event that the court grants bail to Kitutu.
Aciro said that she considered the sureties to be substantial and granted Kiututu cash bail of 10 million Shillings and 200 million Shillings, not cash.
Kitutu’s co-accused and brother, Michael Naboya Kitutu was also granted bail of 3 million Shillings cash. His sureties were Irene Khainza Wandabwa, a retired Resident District Commissioner, and Tadeo Walwa, the LC III chairperson of Bukawekha sub-county in Namisindwa District. They were bonded 100 Million Shillings not cash.
Aciro adjourned the case to April 27th for an update on the status of investigations of the case.
On Wednesday, Kitutu was denied bail after three of her sureties were not substantial. They did not have proof of employment to demonstrate their financial capability to fulfill their duties as sureties.
Kitutu was last week charged with causing the loss of public property by diverting 14,500 pieces of iron sheets that were meant to benefit the people of Karamoja under the Karamoja Community Empowerment Program.
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This is a nice gesture and a true manifestation of how the rule of law is still applicable in the country. My only concern is that the list of sureties reflects what we are still struggling with, the promotion of diversity! As a country, we are still lagging behind in that area! I can not celebrate the fact that there was no one from Central, Northern or Western region of the country standing with the honorable minister! All sureties were from the Elgon region, manifesting the patriarchal society we are still faced with! We still need to do more to change the trajectory.
The embattled minister should bow down on her knees and apologise to her electrorates, the people of karamoja publicly cose even if she gets bail, her re-election as MP of her district still remains in comma. Other implicated ministers should also apologise publicly and return the sheets less their votes remain in quagmire. That’s all.