Amos Lugoloobi, the state’s minister of finance and economic planning, is accused of dealing with questionable property after diverting iron sheets for the Karamoja population, but the High Court hearing on the matter has been postponed.
Lugoloobi rejected the allegations last week, and the Anti-Corruption Court’s Lady Justice Margaret Tibulya set the trial to begin on Tuesday. She did not, however, appear in court.
The prosecution asserts 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 Ntejeru North Constituency in Kayunga District.
The iron sheets, which were allegedly acquired as a result of property loss, a crime under Section 10 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Court, were allegedly developed in two phases: one batch included 400 iron sheets and was obtained between July 14, 2022, and February 20, 2023, and the other batch included 300 iron sheets and was obtained between February 1, 2023, and March 16, 2023.
Both parties showed up in front of Acting Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe on Tuesday.
The prosecution, which is being led by State Attorney Gloria Inzikuru, requested a delay on the grounds that the judge is ill.
Lawyers representing Lugoloobi responded by informing the court that their client, who was in attendance, had not objected to the adjournment. John Isabirye and Tonny Tumukunde
The parties suggested four dates for adjournment of the case, but Isabirye claimed he already had other cases scheduled before the Jinja High Court.
Asiimwe adjourned the case to October 16th, 2023, after a protracted argument over one of the dates, saying that they would eventually come to an understanding.
He claimed that without the judge’s approval or consultation, the clerk to the judge had no authority to set the dates for the case’s hearing.
The Chief Magistrates Court committed Lugoloobi last month to stand trial after the charges against him had been thoroughly investigated.
He also received his passport back after asking the court to loosen the restrictions on his bond.
He said that since he frequently travelled outside of the country to represent Uganda at conferences, he wanted it to be simpler for him to obtain visas rather than having to go to court every time he wanted to go.
Upon finding Lugoloobi’s arguments persuasive, Deputy Registrar Pamela Lamunu Ocaya granted his plea on the justification that his attorneys must notify the court anytime he travels.
If found guilty, Lugoloobi faces a seven-year prison sentence, a fine of no more than 160 currency points ($3.2 million), or both.
He is one of the three ministers being tried by the anti-corruption court for the controversy involving the Karamoja iron sheets.
The other defendants are State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Agness Nandutu and her Senior Minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu, who is accused of conspiring with her brother Michael Naboya Kitutu to cheat the Ugandan government on six counts involving property loss and conspiracy.
The Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Frances Abodo, has since closed the case files of the other 17 prominent politicians, including MPs and ministers, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Vice President, who were first charged in the scandal due to insufficient evidence.
