Minister Kitutu cleared to go abroad

The High Court in Kampala has cleared Karamoja Affairs Minister Dr Mary Gorretti Kitutu to travel abroad for conferences in the United Kingdom and Dubai.

Dr Kitutu, who is also the woman Member of Parliament (MP) for Manafwa District, is charged with corruption related cases regarding loss of 9,000 iron sheets intended for vulnerable people in the Karamoja sub region.

On Friday, trial judge Jane Kajuga ruled that there was no reason to deny the minister’s travels.

“The application for travel to the United Kingdom to attend the Inzu Masaaba UK (Imuka) event and to Dubia, UAE to attend the UN Climate Change Conference is granted,” she ruled.

But the judge declined to grant her unrestricted right to travel, demanding to know the travel duration needed by the minister

“The application for unrestricted travel rights fails. To that end, I vary the applicant’s bail terms by including a requirement that the applicant’s travels outside the jurisdiction of the court shall be made upon consent of the court. Each request shall be considered on its own merits. The applicant shall continue to abide by the bail conditions previously set by court,” judge Kajuga noted.

Delivering the ruling, the judge observed that the Kitutu’s invitation for the IMUKA 10-year anniversary events in London from November 23 to December 5, 2023 was addressed to her in her capacity as a minister and based on her roots as a government official from Bugisu Sub Region.

Court further held that the minister secured clearance from the Office of the Prime Minister to travel for the events.

“…and seeing her formal authorization dated September 12, 2023 further shows that the government of Uganda has facilitated her travel expenses which demonstrates an interest of the government in her attendance,” court observed.

Justice Kajuga also noted that she considered an invitation letter which showed that Dr Kitutu was nominated as a party delegate representing Uganda to attend the United Nations Climate Change Conference 28 that is to be held from November 12 to December 12, 2023 in Dubia which is clearly official.

“It is clear from the above letters that the applicant is invited to attend both functions in her official capacity while it may not be clear as to how she plans to effectively juggle the two events, I find attendance of both possible as one of the events ends on December 5 while another on December 12,” she said.

The judge also trashed State claims that Dr Kitutu’s travel would interfere with the pending cases before court as her main criminal case was stayed, pending the determination of her human rights case.

“I have considered the applicant’s attendance record since the criminal case started. She has attended each sitting of court as required. I am also satisfied that her actions are not steeped in bad faith considering that there was no legal impediment to external travel and she still thought it necessary to seek the consent of the court,” the judge said.

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