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Uganda's Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu on Wednesday evening was sent back to Luzira prison after court ruled that three of the four sureties she presented, including her husband, were not substantial.

Uganda’s Anti-Corruption Court's Presiding Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro observed that the three sureties failed to demonstrate their financial capacity to be able to execute court bond in case the minister was temporarily released and evades jurisdiction.

The only surety found substantial for having demonstrated financial capacity was that of Mbale City North Division MP Seth Wabende.

“I must say the earnings of MPs are sufficient for one to be considered as a surety,” ruled Magistrate Aciro.

Kitutu is accused of diverting 14,500 iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people in Karamoja for her own benefit.

“The court declines to grant Kitutu bail as it requires at least more than one surety. She must find other sureties and add onto the one that the court has found substantial,” she added.

The rejected sureties were the minister’s husband Micheal George Kitutu, former MP and AU diplomat Simon Mulongo and Dr Joel Wadawa, a plastic surgeon working with Kiruddu Hospital.

In her analysis, Ms Aciro said the three sureties merely mentioned their places of work without proof of financial capability like presenting their bank statements, which fell short of the court rules.

Kitutu’s husband had told the court that he was a professional accountant currently in real estate business.

“I find sureties of Micheal Kitutu George, Simon Mulongo and Wadawa not substantial. This court finds no merit in all grounds of objection raised by the prosecution save for those raised in regard to the sureties [being] found not to be substantial as they do not meet requirements of Rule 7 (b) of the rules of this court,” held Ms Aciro.

Read: BUWEMBO: ‘Mabati’ theft could be fuelled by ignorance, not kleptomania

Kitutu’s lawyers Micheal Wamasebu and John Musiime, shortly after the unfavourable ruling, pleaded with court to allow them present two more substantial sureties by Wednsday evening.

But the magistrate said she would find some time on Thursday to allow Kitutu to bring on board two more substantial sureties.

Not in court

The third suspect, Joshua Abaho, the senior assistant secretary in Karamoja Affairs Ministry, did not appear in court to be officially charged.

Abaho instead sent his lawyer, Paul Kutesa, to inform the court that he has never formally received summons requiring him to appear. Kutesa added that his client only learnt of the same through the media.

Kutesa further defended his client and asked for more time to enable him to appear, stating that his wife was in hospital and that he is the only one taking care of her .

Subsequently, the court extended the summons against Abaho to April 27 when he will appear to be charged.

Kitutu faces two counts of loss of public property and one count of conspiracy to defraud.

It is alleged that she diverted the roofing sheets to benefit herself and third parties. She is also charged with causing loss of public property — 5,500 iron sheets.

Naboya on remand

She is jointly charged with her younger brother Michael Naboya Kitutu who is also currently in remand.

Naboya is accused of receiving 100 stolen pre-coated iron sheets between June 2022 and January 2023 in Situmi Village of Bukhawekha Sub-County, Namisindwa District.

The Karamoja iron sheets scandal that has since sucked in over a dozen ministers as beneficiaries, saw Uganda’s President Museveni come out strongly this week to denounce the ministers involved, saying the same amounts to subversion, undermines the country’s security and that they should be charged with theft.

Read: Museveni speech to MPs evades ‘mabati’ scandal

The office of the DPP on Tuesday said it had received eight more case files from police for perusal and possible prosecution.