Mary Gorreti Kitutu, the minister in charge of Karamoja affairs, has been granted bail by the Anti-Corruption Court.
After resubmitting new sureties after Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro had rejected the previous ones, Kitutu was given a cash bail of 10 million shillings.
On Friday, Kitutu’s attorneys Michael Wamasebu, Jude Byamukama, and John Musiime gave the sureties identification papers, business registration certificates, bank records demonstrating their income, and letters of recommendation from their respective chairpersons.
The sureties include Godfrey Wakili, the national chairman of the National Resistance Movement and the MP for Butiru County in the Manafwa District, and Dominic Gidudu Mafabi, the State Minister for the Elderly People and also the MP Elderly for Eastern Region.
Others include Dr. John Seith Magolo, the MP for Bugonkho County in the Mbale District, Peter Werike, the MP for Bubulo West, businessman Gregory Mafabi, the owner of the Palm Hotel and the Kayijo Hotel, and Gregory Mafabi.
Given that the sureties have provided the necessary documentation, state attorney Jonathan Muwaganya stated that he has no issues with them. In the event that Kitutu is granted bail, he requested that strict conditions be placed on the suspects.
Aciro gave Kiututu a cash bail of 10 million and 200 million shillings because she believed the sureties to be significant.
Michael Naboya Kitutu, Kitutu’s brother and fellow defendant, was also given a monetary bail of 3 million shillings. His sureties were Tadeo Walwa, the LC III chairperson of Namisindwa District’s Bukawekha Sub-County, and retired Resident District Commissioner Irene Khainza Wandabwa. They have a 100 million shilling bond instead of cash.
Aciro postponed the case to April 27th in order to provide an update on the progress of the case’s investigations.
Kitutu was granted bail on Wednesday because three of her sureties were insufficient. They lacked job documentation proving their financial capacity to carry out their responsibilities as sureties.
Kitutu was accused last week with misappropriating 14,500 pieces of iron sheet intended for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Program, which was supposed to help the people of Karamoja.