KAMPALA – Mary Goretti Kitutu, the minister for Karamoja affairs – currently battling charges of corruption over the misappropriation of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable in the Karamoja sub-region has been denied bail.
Last week on Thursday, the Anti-Corruption court in Uganda remanded the minister, having pleaded not guilty to the counts.
On Wednesday afternoon, the minister returned to the court for a bail hearing but was denied on grounds that two of her four sureties including her husband, Michael Kitutu and Dr. Joel Wadawa were not fit considering the gravity of her case.
Court noted that the two didn’t provide proof of their places of work or occupation.
The minister presented her husband, Micheal George Kitutu, Uganda’s special envoy to Africa Union, Amb. Simon Mulongo, Seth Wambede, the MP for Mbale City Northern Division and Dr Joel Wadawa, a plastic surgeon at Kiruddu Hospital.
The minister claims that she has health issues and is of advanced age which may affect her negatively while in jail.
The chief magistrate, Joan Aciro ruled that “Bank statements can be presented or employment identity cards or documents to show a business is licenced. Generally, any document that shows that the business a person claims to be doing to earn a living generally generates income (can be presented).”
“It is only Wambede Seth who has presented before this court proof of employment as a current Member of Parliament for Mbale City. I must say his earnings are sufficient to be considered as a surety. He is the only surety who passes the test and the only one this court finds substantial.”
Court also ruled that Amb. Simon Mulongo is not a substantial surety since his nature of work requires that he is always in and out of the country and would not be able to fulfill the duties of a surety which among others require them to be present in court where summoned.
Kitutu is one of the big government official beneficiaries who featured on the Inspector General of Government – IGG list according to one Peter Kugonza as retweeted by President Yoweri Museveni.
The list accordingly includes
Jessica Alupo (Vice President)
Anita Among (Speaker of Parliament)
Robinah Nabbanja (Prime Minister)
Rebecca Kadaga (First Deputy Prime Minister/Minister for East African Affairs)
Rukia Isanga Nakadama (Second Deputy Prime Minister/Minister without Portfolio)
Matia Kasaija (Finance Minister)
Judith Nabakooba (Minister for Lands, Housing and Urban Development)
Mary Kitutu Goretti (Minister for Karamoja Affairs)
Dennis Hamson Obua (Government Chief Whip), and
Rose Lilly Akello (Minister for Ethics and Integrity)
The stolen iron sheets were intended for vulnerable communities in the northeastern Karamoja region.
Museveni blamed his people for trying to do the cheap popularity of fund-raising thus stealing to please their voters.
“The problem with the political class is that some of them have not internalized the NRM line on social-economic transformation and they, opportunistically, try to do the cheap popularity of fund-raising, giving mabaati, giving big numbers of bursaries, etc.”
“They end up with debts and desperate efforts to look for donations, efforts that can lead into mistakes of being tempted to divert what is meant for A to B,” President tweeted.
He called it a political mistake that can also be subversive.
“That mistake, however, is totally different from converting those items to personal use. That is no longer just a mistake, but theft.”
He promised that all those involved will be handled appropriately.
“Those who diverted the mabaati but not for personal use, must pay back the equivalent value in money or return the mabaati for the Karachuna, so that, that programme goes on.”
He added, “On many occasions, I have told leaders not to try and carry their Constituents on their heads financially (kubetikka) but show the families how to use the NRM programmes (NAADS, OWC, PDM, etc.) and make their own money. Kukulembera, si kwetikka abantu.”
Kitutu will return to the court on Friday, April, 14.
