Corruption: Busiki county MP gets bail, Namujju and Mutambuli remain at Luzira prisons

___________________

The Member of Parliament (MP) representing Busiki county accused of corruption charges has been freed on bail.

The Nakasero based Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala, presided over by chief magistrate Joan Aciro, granted Paul Akamba bail earlier today (Friday) saying he has presented substantial sureties.

Akamba was granted a cash bail of sh13m and his sureties are to execute a non cash bond of sh100m.

Meanwhile, Yusuf Mutambuli and Cissy Namujju have been denied bail after they failed to produce substantial sureties and their bail applications were dismissed. The court noted that the accused persons did not produce letters from the area local council.

Members of Parliament; Cissy Dionizia Namujju (Lwengo Woman), Yusuf Mutembuli (Bunyole East), and Paul Akamba (Busiki County) who were charged with corruption arrive at Nakaseero-based Anti-Corruption Court for their bail hearing on Friday, June 14, 2024. (Photo by Edward Luyimbazi)

Aciro said the Constitutional bail guidelines of 2022 rule 13 and 15 require an accused to prove to court a place of abode.

Chief Magistrate Aciro remanded Mutambuli and Namujju to Luzira prison until June 17, 2024 when they are expected to reapply for bail. Attempts by their lawyers Asuman Basalirwa, Caleb Mwesigwa, Herbert Kidiya and Geoffrey Kandeebe were rejected because the magistrate said she had another bail application in another case to handle.

The prosecution led by Assistant Director of Public prosecutions, Josephine Namatovu, senior state attorney Nicholas Kawooya and Pamela Orogot represented the state.

It is alleged that Mutembuli, Akamba, and Cissy Namujju on May 13, 2024 at Hotel Africana in Kampala, solicited from Mariam Wangadya, the chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) an undue advantage of 20 per cent of the anticipated enhanced budget of UHRC for the financial year 2024/2025 by asserting that they were able to exert improper influence over the decision making of the budget committee of Parliament of Uganda to increase the budget of UHRC. They denied the charge.