Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu attempted to prevent prosecution by the Inspectorate of Government (IGG) for alleged mismanagement of public funds related to the supplementary budget. However, her bid was unsuccessful as the Anti-corruption Court dismissed her application.
Judge Jane Kajuga presiding over the High Court ruled that there was no connection between the two separate files involved in the case. The judge emphasized that the prosecution of Kitutu by the IGG would not impede the ongoing case regarding the procurement of iron sheets.
The allegations against Kitutu stem from the release of funds to the Office of the Prime Minister during the 2021/2022 fiscal year. The IGG, under Beti Kamya, had initiated investigations into the purported mismanagement of these funds.
Kitutu had raised concerns about the legality of the investigations, accusing the IGG of conducting parallel probes and violating her rights. She argued that the search warrant issued to inspect her premises was unlawfully obtained.
However, the court found no substantial evidence linking the accused persons in both cases. It was determined that Kitutu’s right to a fair hearing would not be compromised by the separate prosecutions.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that both the Attorney General and the IGG required time to respond to Kitutu’s amended application. Additionally, the prosecution received communication from the IGG, providing relevant facts regarding Kitutu’s case.
