Minister Kitutu seeks court permission to go abroad
Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu (right), her Senior Assistant Secretary Joshua Abaho (centre) and her brother Michael Naboya Kitutu in court on July 24, 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The trial judge Jane Kajuga has set the date for the ruling.
Dr Mary Gorretti Kitutu has asked court to allow her to leave the country when need arises in execution of her duties as a cabinet minister and woman Member of Parliament (MP) for Manafwa District.
The Karamoja affairs minister is charged with corruption related cases regarding loss of 9,000 iron sheets intended for vulnerable people in her constituency.
While seeking for the court’s permission, Dr Kitutu through her lawyers stated that she has been formally invited and cleared by the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) to travel to the United Kingdom (UK) for 13 days to attend the Inzu Masaaba-UK 10th year anniversary from November 23 to December 5, 2023.
She further stated that she has also been nominated by National Focal Point (NFP) to attend the meeting session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference 28 in Dubai, United Arab for 18 days from November 24 to December 12, 2023.
“The applicant deems these scheduled high-level meetings and many others of great significance and are part of her official duties and responsibilities that require constant travel outside the jurisdiction from time to time,” Dr Kitutu wrote in her application.
She added: “The applicant is fully aware of her bail terms and conditions and has been observing each and every one of them and shall not abscond from the jurisdiction of the court and shall always return to the country upon execution of her duties as a cabinet minister.”
In her application, Dr Kitutu further stated that she is married in addition to having parliamentary responsibilities.
The court documents indicate that the respondent who is the Attorney General in the application will not be prejudiced in any way if court grants her permission to travel abroad as and when need arises.
However, prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya presented an affidavit of Ms Safina Bireka, a senior state attorney objecting the minister’s request- reasoning that she filed an application alleging human rights violations which has been heard, pending determination.
“I know that the trial court has a time frame of 90 days from the date of filing a human rights enforcement case within which to return the ruling. The absence of the applicant is likely to cause technical difficulties in the determination and final disposal of her application which has to be determined not later than November 10, 2023,” court documents indicate.
Bireka also argued that Kitutu cannot practically attend the two events in separate locations.
The trial judge Jane Kajuga has set October 3 for ruling.
