Kitutu petitions court again over IGG summons
Minister for Karamoja Affairs Mary Goretti Kitutu during her bail hearing at the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court in Kampala in April, 2023. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The application seeks to stop the criminal summons that was issued by the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court requiring Ms Kitutu to appear on February 29 this year.
Karamoja Affairs Minister, Mary Goretti Kitutu has run to court seeking an express order to stop the Inspectorate of Government (IG) from prosecuting her regarding the alleged mismanagement of public funds.
In the application filed on Monday, Ms Kitutu is seeking an express order to stop investigations by the IGG, Beti Kamya regarding the alleged mismanagement of the supplementary funds released to the Office of the Prime Minister during the final year 2021/2022.
Court documents show that the said funds were released to support peace-building activities in the Karamoja sub-region.
"A further interim order be issued staying additional criminal proceedings vide HCT-00-AC-CO-0056/23 against the applicant (Kitutu) by the second respondent (IGG) arising out of alleged mismanagement of supplementary funds that were released to the Office of the Prime Minister to support peacebuilding activities in Karamoja until the disposal of the temporary injunction application," court documents read in part.
The application seeks to stop the criminal summons that was issued by the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court requiring Ms Kitutu to appear on February 29 this year.
Ms Kitutu is required to appear before the court to face charges of allegedly causing financial loss.
However, through her lawyers, Ms Kitutu claims that she is aggrieved by the actions of the IGG to prefer additional criminal charges against her.
"That there is an imminent threat of implementation of the said criminal summons requiring her to appear on February 29 before the Anti-Corruption Court over the charges whose proprietor she is challenging," Ms Kitutu states in the affidavit.
She alleges that if not stopped, her application for enforcement of her fundamental rights and freedoms will be rendered useless.
Ms Kitutu is also battling accusations of causing the loss of public property of 14500 iron sheets meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment program before the High Court Anti-Corruption Division.
In the case instituted by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Ms Kitutu is charged jointly with three others.
Ms Kitutu alleges that the funds for which the IGG is investigating were used to procure iron sheets which are the subject of a case already fixed for hearing starting February 12 before the Anti-Corruption Division.
She is accusing the IGG of disregarding the rule of law by continuing with parallel investigations which are manifestly illegal by signing off a search warrant in favour of certain designated persons and the police to enter her premises to carry out inspection.
Meanwhile, the trial Judge Jane Kajuga has set February 1 for the hearing of the application.
Court heard that both the Attorney General and the IGG needed one week to respond to the amended application of Ms Kitutu.
Prosecution led by Ms Jackie Amusugut also received a communication from the IGG giving them facts and information about Ms Kitutu’s application.
In another case, DPP, among others contends that between June 2022 and January at the OPM stores in Namanve, Mukono District, Kitutu and Abaho caused the loss of public property to wit 9,000 pre-painted gauge 28 iron sheets by diverting them from the intended purpose of benefiting the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme.
It is alleged that she diverted the sheets to her benefit and the benefit of third parties. Count two of the same charge of causing loss of public property, the minister is accused of causing the loss of 5,500 iron sheets.
