Misuse of Government Property: Minister Lugoloobi’s Trial Updates
In the ongoing trial at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala, state witnesses have testified against Minister Amos Lugoloobi, the State Minister for Finance and Economic Planning. The witnesses have claimed that Lugoloobi was not a designated beneficiary of the Karamoja iron sheets program.
The trial began with the testimonies of two prosecution witnesses, Geoffrey Sseremba, the undersecretary responsible for finance and administration in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), and Joshua Abaho, the senior assistant secretary/personal assistant to the Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Mary Gorreti Kitutu Kimono. They provided their accounts before Justice Margaret Tibulya.
The prosecution alleges that Minister Lugoloobi was involved in dealing with government property, specifically 700 pre-painted iron sheets marked with ‘Office of the Prime Minister’. These iron sheets were acquired in two phases, with 400 obtained between July 14, 2022, and February 2023, and another batch of 300 between February 1, 2023, and March 16, 2023.
According to Sseremba, the iron sheets were intended for the benefit of the nine districts in the Karamoja sub-region. This program aimed to support peacebuilding, economic empowerment, and disarmament processes in the region. MPs from Karamoja, in collaboration with local leaders, were responsible for overseeing the implementation of the program to ensure that reformed warriors and vulnerable individuals who had suffered due to cattle rustling received the support.
Minister Lugoloobi, who is also an MP for Ntenjeru North in Kayunga district, is under scrutiny to ascertain whether he was among the intended beneficiaries. Sseremba explained that multiple stakeholders, including the OPM, Ministries of Defense, Water, Internal Affairs, Parliament, and local government offices, were involved in the program. Each ministry had a specific mandate, but the OPM was responsible for supporting livelihoods, economic empowerment, and discouraging cattle rustling.
Abaho, the second witness, emphasized that the iron sheets were primarily procured to resettle the Karacunas, former cattle rustlers, as well as to assist women’s groups, churches, and schools. These iron sheets were provided to women’s groups to help them construct shelters, and Abaho played a role in verifying the beneficiaries and the launch of the program, which was attended by President Yoweri Museveni.
Abaho further revealed that he was instructed by the undersecretary, Deogratius Masagazi, to request the release of 10,000 iron sheets for the program’s launch and to arrange logistics for the minister and her team, prepare a speech, and facilitate the transportation of goats.
The trial continues with the prosecution presenting additional evidence, while Minister Lugoloobi is represented by lawyers John Isabirye and Tony Tumukunde.
