Court suspends corruption trial against ex-PS Ssali, three MPs

The High Court in Kampala has temporarily stayed the trial of former PS in the Ministry of Commerce, Geraldine Ssali, three MPs, a lawyer and a ministry official accused of corruption after one of the suspects (an MP) filed an application in which security officers were accused of corruption. violation of human rights.

The other five are; three MPs Michael Mawanda (Igara East), Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu (Elgon County), Paul Akamba (Busiki County), lawyer Julius Taitankoko Kirya and Ministry of Commerce chief cooperative officer Leonard Kavundira.
The judge, Jane Kajuga Akuo, was prompted to temporarily halt the trial after Mr Akamba filed a claim for violation of his human rights against the Attorney General (AG), which the court said must first be heard and decided before moving on to the main point.

‘The file came to my attention this morning. It is clear that the DPP office has been ambushed by this application. Nevertheless, the law is very clear: the judge is expected to decide on the application first. I have no choice but to postpone the trial. The proceedings are stopped with immediate effect,” Justice Kajunga ruled before adjourning the matter for mention until November 25.

The six accused of abuse of office, causing financial loss and conspiracy were recently released on bail.
According to the indictment, the prosecutor alleges that during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years, while serving as Permanent Secretary and assigned the role of Accounting Officer in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Ms Ssali irregularly entered Buyaka Growers cooperative society LTD was one of the cooperatives that would be compensated by the government for the war loss, but the same was not included in the list for August 2021 supplementary budget.

It is further alleged that in the discharge of her duties, Ms Ssali made irregular payments of over Shs3,868,714.611 billion to Kirya and corporate lawyers; a law firm of her co-accused Taitankonko under the guise of compensating war victims of Buyaka Growers cooperatives. She did know that her actions would cause the government a financial loss as the said payment was contrary to the 2017 instructions of the Ministry of Finance.

The charge sheet further indicates that Ms Ssali conspired with MPs Mawanda, Wamakuyu, Akamba, Taitankoko and Mr Kavundira to defraud the government of Shs3.4 billion, which was intended to compensate the war victims of the Buyaka Growers Co- operative Society.
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