Karamoja ministry official in iron sheets scandal granted bail
L-R: Mr Micheal Naboya Kitutu, Ministry of Karamoja Affairs Senior Assistant Secretary Joshua Abaho and Karamoja Affairs Minister, Mary Goretti Kitutu in the dock at the the anti-corruption court in Kololo on April 27, 2023. PHOTO | ABUBAKER LUBOWA
The first technocrat in the Karamoja iron sheets saga was Tuesday morning granted a cash bail of Shs8 million.
Mr Joshua Abaho, 46, a senior assistant secretary at the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs under the Office of the Prime Minister, was last Thursday charged with two counts of corruption and one count of conspiracy to defraud.
He faces the two charges together with Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu and her younger brother, Mr Michael Naboya Kitutu who faces a charge of receiving stolen property.
The presiding Chief Magistrate at the Anti-Corruption Court, Ms Joan Aciro, also bonded Abaho’s sureties at Shs150 million non-cash.
"For the capacity of the sureties to meet the bond, I do agree with the applicant that these are government employees relatively in senior positions. They presented to this court documentation of their employment and also bank statements and thus demonstrated their financial capacity to meet the surety bond. I find no merit in their objection by the prosecution and here by grant the applicant bail having found all the sureties substantial," Ms Aciro ruled.
The other suspects so far charged in connection with the iron sheets saga include Junior Karamoja Affairs minister Agnes Nandutu who is still on remand at Luzira prison and Mr Amos Lugoloobi (Minister of State for Planning).
