The Minister of State for the Elderly, Gidudu Mafabi, is expected to lead a fresh line-up of three individuals to stand surety for embattled Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu, a week after she was arrested and sent on remand.
The Anti-Corruption Court re-convenes today to decide whether Ms Kitutu gets bail.
At two earlier hearings, the court had rejected her application for bail on grounds that some of the sureties she had proposed did not meet the court’s criteria, among other reasons.
Ms Kitutu, who is facing two counts of causing loss of public property and one count of conspiracy to defraud for her role in the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, is believed to have also lined up two more MPs to stand surety for her.
Like Mr Mafabi, the unnamed MPs also hail from Ms Kitutu’s home area in the Elgon Sub-region.
On Wednesday evening, Ms Kitutu was sent back to Luzira prison after the Anti-Corruption Court ruled that three of the four sureties presented, who included her husband, Micheal George Kitutu, were not sufficiently substantial.
Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro observed that the three sureties failed to demonstrate a financial ability to execute the necessary court bond in the event that the minister jumped bail and fled the court’s jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the Inspectorate General of Government (IGG) has revealed that there is sufficient evidence to charge the Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Ms Goretti Kitutu for allegedly diverting relief items, particularly iron sheets that were meant for vulnerable groups in the Karamoja region.
While appearing on a television show last evening, the IGG, Ms Beti Kamya said whereas the iron sheet scandal involves a syndicate of several government officials and Members of Parliament, Ms Kitutu is directly implicated because she wrote to cause the requisition of the allegedly diverted iron sheets.
Kamya added the Minister for Karamoja diverted iron sheets for commercial purposes and nepotism.
The IGG further urged members of the public to report all elements of corruption in their respective communities to avoid being victims of the corruption outcomes.
