Museveni applauds DPP for fighting corruption

President Museveni has hailed the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Justice Jane Frances Abodo, for fighting corruption in the country.

Mr Museveni said it is the corrupt government officials who are slowing down the growth of the economy and they should be sent to jail.

“…Now our big problem is corruption of public officials. This is the one slowing down our rate of growth and I am glad you are very harsh. Those found guilty must go to jail, must lose opportunities of leadership, but must pay back everything that they have stolen,” the President said during the 6th Joan Kagezi Memorial Lecture in Munyonyo, Kampala last Friday.

He added: “The issue of corruption is one of the brakes on the rate of economic growth.”
He assured the prosecutors that come next financial year, their salaries will be exempted from taxation just like soldiers, police and judicial officers.

At the same function, Justice Abodo said her officers were encouraged to work hard after their salaries were enhanced.

“Your Excellency, the DPP office requires support to build capacity to ably handle serious cases that affect the citizens. These serious cases include murder, terrorism, ………sexual and gender-based violence, children who come into contact with the law, children of survivors of child sacrifice, and human trafficking cases,” Justice Abodo said.

“Lately, we are dealing with cases relating to the alleged misappropriation of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja region. We are working closely with [the] director [of] CID to ensure that all the culprits are brought to book,” she added. 

Three ministers have since been slapped with corruption charges over the misuse of the roofing materials meant for the vulnerable Karamoja residents. They include Ms Mary Goretti Kitutu (Karamoja Affairs), Mr Amos Lugoloobi (State minister for Planning) and Ms Agnes Nandutu (State for Karamoja Affairs). Ms Nandutu is still on remand at Luzira prison.

Dozens of ministers, MPs and chief administrative officers have also been sucked into the sandal.

About Kagezi murder

Kagezi was shot dead in 2015 in Kiwatule, a Kampala suburb while on her way back home. She had made a stop-over at a market stall to buy fruits.

During the memorial lecture, Mr Museveni said the new CID director, Tom Magambo, has promising clues in regards to the assassination of the former assistant DPP.

“Immediately, we had a rough idea of the killer, I was therefore, surprised when later on, I heard that they had not….but the new CID director, I think knows the information we had and there may be some other complications, especially when the killers are living abroad but that does not stop us from exposing them whatever the complications or using any methods to get to them,” he said.

He added: “Therefore, I will have to check again with the new regime of Magambo on what is happening with those killers, the bigger group, I am handling them in Congo but there are particular ones who must be held accountable.”

No one has ever been arraigned in court to stand trial in connection the murder of Kagezi.
At the time of her death, Kagezi was the lead prosecutor in the 2010 Kampala bombing case.
Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo said: “I was the trial judge and we had gone halfway. I think close to 40 witnesses had testified at the time she was murdered. We were all profoundly traumatised. I remember when the director of public prosecutions then, Mike Chibita, came to introduce the new prosecutor, he wept in court and it was a very difficult moment for the trial judge who had to hide and suppress his emotions,” he said.

“When I was summing up for the assessors at the conclusion of evidence,  I said let the killers of Joan Kagezi not influence your decision in the trial that we are conducting. If the police came out tomorrow that we have evidence that these people being tried are the ones behind the killing of the late prosecutor, that is for another trial, whoever is responsible will have to undergo a trial in accordance with the law,” he added.

Chief Justice Owiny-Dollo revealed that he had to repeatedly go over the decision to acquit one of the suspects whom he believed had financed the two bombings but there was no evidence linking his money to the Kampala bombings.

On her part, the DPP said with the coming on board of the new CID director, Kagezi’s file is one of the high profile unresolved murders being prioritised.

Witness protection
This year’s Joan Kagezi Memorial Lecture was held under the theme “Organised Crime and the Necessity for Witness Protection.”

Basing on the theme, President Museveni directed Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka to ensure that a witness protection law is passed so that witnesses who testify in high-profile cases including terrorism are protected from those who want to harm them.

Uganda has no witness protection law and in recent years, the demand for witness protection services has increased particularly in cases such as human trafficking, terrorism, land related crime as well as in capital offences such as murder, defilement and robbery.