Budget corruption: DPP drops charges against MPs Mutembuli, Akamba, Namujju

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Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Lino Anguzu has discontinued criminal proceedings against Members of Parliament (MP) Cissy Namujju, Yusuf Mutembuli and Paul Akamba, who have been indicted with budget corruption-related charges.

The trio has been accused of soliciting a 20 per cent bribe from the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) to influence the passing of its budget.

Namujju is the incumbent Lwengo District Woman MP, while Akamba and Mutembuli are lawmakers for Busiki County and Bunyole East, respectively.

However, the DPP has withdrawn the charges against them in a nolle prosequi (withdrawal letter) filed at the Anti-Corruption Court registry in Kampala city on January 6, 2025. The DPP gave no reasons for the withdrawal of the charges against the trio.

“Take notice that the Government intends that the proceedings against Mutembuli, Akamba and Namujju, charged with corruption contrary to Section 2(e) and 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2009, as amended, shall not continue,” the withdrawal letter reads in part.

Under article 120(3)(d) of the Constitution, the DPP has powers to discontinue at any stage before judgment is delivered any criminal proceedings instituted by himself or herself or any other person or authority.

However, under Section 133 (1) of the Trial on Indictment Act, the DPP is empowered to reinstate the case against the accused on account of the same facts. This means that the charges can be reinstated against them in the near future.

The trial of the trio had been halted pending the determination of a constitutional petition which had been filed by Akamba concerning his torture by security forces.

The evidence

The summary of evidence tabled in court indicated that the trio met the chairperson of UHRC Mariam Wangadya, on May 13 2024, at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

During the meeting, the DPP evidence indicated that the trio promised to help her have the commission’s budget enhanced by the budget committee of Parliament in exchange for 20% of its budget.

However, Wangadya recorded them using a security device, which was relied on to indict them.

The evidence indicated that the MPs approached Wangadya after presenting the commission’s policy statement and budget framework paper for the financial year 2023/2024 to the Legal and Parliamentary Affairs committee on which Mutembuli sits.

In her presentation to the committee, Wangadya had highlighted the budgetary constraints faced by UHRC affecting its operations.

It is indicated that as Wangadya left the precincts of Parliament, Mutembuli approached her and offered to assist her in having the commission’s budget enhanced.

Mutembuli and Wangadya exchanged contacts. Upon reaching her office, Wangadya shared Mutembuli’s contact with UHRC accounting officers.

The accounting officer contacted Mutembuli and agreed to meet in a place in the city suburbs of Naguru for discussion.

The evidence showed that during the meeting, Mutembuli requested for 5% of the commission’s anticipated budget.

However, the UHRC accounting officer rejected the request because its budget had not been enhanced.

When the UHRC accounting officer briefed Wangadya about the development, Wangadya reported the matter to President Yoweri Museveni, who promised to handle the matter.

Consequently, Wangadya laid a trap for the trio on May 13 last year. She secured a recording device from the Police, which she used to record him during the negotiations.

Upon returning the device to the Police, the investigations were commenced, and the trio were later charged in court.