Seven State Attorneys interdicted over corruption- DPP

The Director of Public Prosecution, Ms Jane Frances Abodo Tuesday revealed that seven state attorneys have been interdicted over incompetence and corruption this year.

According to Ms Abodo, four prosecutors from the districts of Ntungamo, Arua and Lira join the Sembabule District Resident State Attorney and chief magistrate who are currently facing corruption-related charges at the Anti- Corruption Court.

Ms Jackeline Bako, the Resident State Attorney and Ms Sylvia Nvanungi, the chief magistrate are facing seven charges of corruption regarding soliciting and receiving bribes from different persons undergoing trial before the court in Sembabule District.
 
“Last week, I signed off four other interdictions, these are people who are being investigated over corruption, absenteeism and we need to send out a message to fight corruption within our institution,”  Ms Abodo made the remarks during an a week-long  orientation of newly appointed State Attorneys that is currently taking place in Masaka City .

Ms Abodo said she would not hesitate to prosecute any judicial officer who will be found guilty of abuse of office.

“Even those who are currently under investigation once they are found culpable, they will be taken to court and prosecuted,” she added.

At the beginning of this financial year 2023/2024, the Office of the DPP recruited 100 state attorneys to address the issue of staffing gaps affecting the efficiency of the office.

“The Office of the DPP has been operating at 40 percent staffing for nearly a decade and the appointment of the state attorneys will help to fill the gaps in various places,” she said.

Ms Abodo said her office has tried to improve the welfare of the prosecutors in the past three years to the extent of not taxing their salaries.
 
“Those who are doing the right thing, I have their back covered completely and those who are doing the wrong thing, I will prosecute them, because if we continue covering up for people, the whole institution will be branded corrupt yet I have been in this institution for almost 24 years and I know that there have been very good prosecutors with high integrity,” she said.

Ms Savia Mugwanya, the commissioner Civil Service College of Uganda advised the newly appointed state attorneys to make a difference in the judiciary while executing their duties.

The seven-day induction, which kicked off on Monday, is conducted by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Civil Service College of Uganda and the Human Trafficking Institute. It aims at equipping the new state attorneys with knowledge and skills to efficiently and effectively execute their prosecutorial function.