State Minister for Finance and Economic Planning Amos Lugoloobi has been granted bail of 10 million shillings by the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.
Regarding diverting iron sheets for the weaker Karamoja residents, Lugoloobi is accused.
Following a successful plea made on Monday by Lugoloobi’s attorneys, the court presided over by Acting Senior Principal Magistrate Grade One Abert Asiimwe granted bail to Lugoloobi on Thursday.
It is alleged that Lugoloobi handled 700 pre-painted iron sheets marked “Office of the Prime Minister” while working at the Office of the Prime Minister Stores in Namanve, Mukono District, and at various locations in Matuga, Wakiso District, and Ntenjeru North Constituency in Kayunga District.
The prosecution claims that the iron sheets in question were obtained in two phases, the first involving 400 sheets between July 14, 2022, and February 20, 2023, and the second involving 300 sheets between February 1 and March 16, 2023.
The prosecution claims that the iron sheets were obtained as a result of property loss, a crime under Section 10(1) of the Anti-Corruption Court.
However, Lugoloobi has denied all of the allegations, and his attorneys, John Isabirye and Tonny Tumukunde, have filed an application for bail on the grounds that their client is a member of parliament and a minister with a fixed address in Makindye Sabagabo’s Kizungu Zone.
He informed the court that the minister has strong sureties, including Paul Mugamba Ssempwa, who served as Lugoloobi’s best man; Mariam Naigaga, a Namutumba woman member of parliament; James Kakooza, a member of the East African Legislative Assembly and a former state minister for health; and Dr. Kefa Kiwanuka.
The others are Kalisa Moses Karangwa, the executive director of the National Planning Authority; Joseph Muwavala, the prime minister of the Busoga Kingdom; and Martin Ssekajja, the head of operations at Uganda Security Printing Company.
The attorneys also informed the court that Lugoloobi is hypertensive, and has type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and coronary heart disease.
He also recently underwent heart surgery on July 14, 2022, and he also suffers from these conditions.
However, the prosecution, which was led by Stanley Baine, Jonathan Muwaganya, David Bisamunyu, and Safina Bireke, rejected Lugoloobi’s request for bail, asserting that the case’s investigations are advanced and could be finished in the shortest possible time, such as one week.
Lugoloobi is a minister and a member of parliament, making him a very powerful individual who is able to sway the investigations, according to State Attorney Baine.
The prosecution requested that the court dismiss Lugoloobi’s request for bail on the grounds that his sureties had produced records, such as bank statements and land titles, that showed encumbrances on them despite the letters affixing them stating that they were free of those encumbrances.
Additionally, they stated that no paperwork from sureties like Karangwa had been provided, and they expressed concern over Kakooza’s status as an EALA MP. They contended that, due to his busy schedule, he might not fulfill his obligations as a surety as someone who resides in Tanzania.
They said that the Uganda Prison might also take care of Lugoloobi’s illness. However, they argued that if the court decides to grant him bail, it should do so with strict conditions that will allow him to appear at the trial.
In his decision, Asiimwe granted bail for Lugoloobi on the basis that the prosecution had not shown any evidence of Lugoloobi’s prior records, which would have revealed whether or not he had ever been convicted of a crime.
He added that the land records that were submitted to the court for verification were reviewed, and the records that were returned to the court demonstrated that he is, in fact, a resident of Makindye and that the land there that he claims belongs to him, indicating that he has a fixed address.
Asiimwe added that there was no proof the minister would impede witnesses after being granted bail. He asserted that an accused person’s constitutional right to liberty cannot be restricted by claims of meddling with witnesses that lack supporting evidence.
Lugoloobi was warned not to obstruct the investigations, or else his bail would be revoked and he would be charged.
Asiimwe added that Lugoloobi produced seven sureties, four of whom had land titles, three of whom were members of the Ugandan Parliament, and one of whom was from the EALA.
In addition to being certain that Lugoloobi is ill, he added, Lugoloobi’s family also requires psychosocial therapy.
Lugoloobi was instructed to turn over his original diplomatic passport and the land title on which his house is located to the court.
Each of his sureties was required to sign a 100 million shilling non-cash bail.
Stanley Baine, the state’s attorney, requested a brief adjournment so he could update the court on the investigations’ progress.
The case was postponed until June 2 by Asiimwe. After being granted bail, thousands of Lugoloobi’s supporters who had gathered at the courthouse were ecstatic.
