(Kampala) – The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has postponed the case of former Karamoja Affairs Minister, Goretti Kitutu, who is accused of diverting iron sheets intended for the Karamoja region. The hearing, presided over by Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga on October 30, 2024, was rescheduled to December 4, 2024, to allow the Court of Appeal to rule on Kitutu’s torture allegations.
Kitutu, through her lawyer Jude Byamukama, claims she was mistreated by security agents during the investigation into the alleged loss of 9,000 iron sheets, a charge linked to the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme (KCEP). In November 2023, Justice Kajuga dismissed her application alleging torture, but Kitutu has since taken her appeal to a higher court.
Kitutu, who is also a Member of Parliament for Manafwa District, is charged alongside her brother, Michael Kitutu Naboya, and her personal assistant, Joshua Abaho. She faces charges of loss of public property and conspiracy to defraud, while her brother is charged with receiving stolen property, and Abaho faces charges of corruption. If convicted, Kitutu could face a 10-year prison sentence under the Anti-Corruption Act, while related charges carry potential penalties of up to three years under the Penal Code Act.
| Details of the Allegations | Information |
|---|---|
| Iron Sheets Lost | 9,000 pre-painted sheets (gauge 28) |
| Alleged Diversion Period | June 2022 to January 2023 |
| Intended Purpose | Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme |
| Individuals Involved | Goretti Kitutu, Michael Kitutu Naboya, Joshua Abaho |
| Potential Penalty for Loss of Public Property | 10 years’ imprisonment |
| Additional Allegations | Diversion of an additional 5,500 iron sheets |
According to prosecutors, between June 2022 and January 2023, Kitutu allegedly diverted 9,000 pre-painted iron sheets originally meant for KCEP. Instead, it is claimed that she redirected them for personal gain and to benefit other parties, knowingly risking the loss of public property. Kitutu also allegedly misappropriated another 5,500 sheets in a similar manner. The prosecution contends that Naboya accepted 100 iron sheets, marked “OPM-Uganda,” which he allegedly knew had been misappropriated.
Abaho, who held responsibility for the custody and distribution of KCEP materials, is accused of diverting both the 9,000 and the additional 5,500 iron sheets from the project’s intended beneficiaries. He allegedly used his position to reallocate these materials for unauthorized purposes, thus violating the original mandate of the program.
The trial proceedings in December will determine the next steps, pending the Court of Appeal’s ruling on Kitutu’s torture allegations.
