UGX 4 Billion Co-op Scandal Faces Delays as Key Figures Fail to Appear
The high-profile case concerning the embezzlement of Sh4 billion from a cooperative union is set to resume today, but not without its share of complications. The case involves five individuals, including two well-known city lawyers, who stand accused of diverting substantial funds intended for cooperative development.
Commercial Officer James Muganza and Cooperative Chairperson Charles Basoga are slated to appear before Senior Principal Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe. They face charges related to the alleged embezzlement and are expected to apply for bail. Their case has already hit a snag, as they were remanded last week due to the absence of state attorneys from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
On August 1, 2024, the court was left in disarray when the state attorneys, who are supposed to oversee the prosecution, failed to appear. Magistrate Christopher Opit, who was assigned to the case, spent an entire day waiting for the ODPP representatives, who did not communicate their absence or provide any updates. This lack of appearance from the state attorneys raises concerns about the efficiency and reliability of the prosecution process.
The case had been rescheduled to August 1 specifically to allow the accused lawyers, John Matovu and Fred Makada, to present their cases. Matovu, 62, is affiliated with Matovu and Matovu Advocates, while Makada, 55, is linked to Makada and Makada Advocates. Both lawyers were expected to address the charges against them, but neither showed up for court. Their absence was noted despite their legal representatives, Brian Serunjogi for Makada and Joel Israel Kidandire for Matovu, being present. The representatives, however, did not offer any explanations for the lawyers’ nonappearance.
This series of absences and procedural delays casts a shadow over the integrity of the judicial process in this high-stakes case.
