COURT: The Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mary Gorreti Kitutu Kimono, and her brother Micheal Naboya Kitutu have been remanded to Luzira Prison by the Anti-Corruption Court until 12th April on charges of causing loss of public property, corruption, and conspiracy to defraud the government
Minister Goretti Kitutu appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court on Thursday to face charges of corruption and conspiracy. She allegedly diverted 9000 iron sheets intended for Karamoja vulnerables
Minister Kitutu who arrived at court while covering her face to prevent the media from taking photos of her face denied involvement in the alleged diversion of iron sheets intended for Karamoja.
“I have heard and understand the charge; it is not true and I am not guilty,”Kitutu responded to the charges of Loss of Public Property and Conspiracy to Defraud.” she said
Minister Kitutu hired former Deputy DPP Micheal Wamasebu as her defence attorney and had applied for bail
She had presented Four sureties to court by the defense lawyers including her Husband Mr Michael kitutu , Hon Simon mulongo former Mp and diplomat at the AU , Hon Seith Wambede Mp Mbale city and Dr Joel Wandabwa a plastic surgeon to seek for bail
Her plea for bail was rejected and she was remanded to Luzira women’s prison were she will spend her Easter Weekend till April 12 when she will return to court
The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) slapped her with loss of public property, corruption, and conspiracy to commit a felony while Naboya is separately charged with the offence of receiving stolen iron sheets.
Prosecution states that the accused persons between the month of June 2022 and January 2023 at the Prime Minister’s store in Namanve, Mukono district caused loss of property in form of 9000 pre-painted iron sheets of gauge 28 and 5,500 pre-painted iron sheets (also gauge 28) by diverting them from the intended purpose of benefiting the Karamoja community empowerment programme to their own benefits, knowing that such acts would result into loss of the said public property.
The minister was arrested on Tuesday at Parliament while appearing before the Presidential Affairs Committee which is also probing the matter and handed over to the Criminal Investigations Directorate.
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