The Inspector General of Government (IGG) has withdrawn offences of corruption against three former Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) officials, charged alongside Karamoja affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu.

The officials had been accused of causing a sh2.2b loss to Government after allegedly failing to exercise due diligence when authorising payment of the money to various staff within the OPM office. The funds were meant for peace-building activities in the Karamoja sub-region.

The officials are the interdicted OPM undersecretary finance and administration Geoffrey Sseremba, under-secretary pacification and development programme Deogratius Masagazi and accountant Tracy Atuhirwe.

On Tuesday, March 19, 2024, State Attorney Daisy Acio presented to the court the withdrawal form. This prompted the Anti-Corruption Court senior principal magistrate grade one Abert Asiimwe to discontinue the charges against the accused persons.

The state attorney also presented to court an amended charge sheet, where Kitutu remains charged with causing financial loss of sh1.5b to Government after purportedly failing to conduct peace-building activities in Karamoja sub-region.

“Charges of corruption against the three former OPM officials are accordingly discontinued on the application of withdrawal by the IGG, Beti Kamya,” Asiimwe ruled.

Charges

Sseremba, Masagazi and Atuhirwe, who have been on half pay over interdiction, had been battling charges of corruption contrary to section 2 (h) and 26 of the same Act, an offence which elicits a 10-year jail term, upon conviction.

Prosecution had purported that Sseremba and Masagazi between February and June 2022 while at the OPM office in Kampala, in performance of their duties, for the purpose of illicitly obtaining benefits for themselves and Kitutu, omitted to exercise due diligence when authorising payment of sh2.2b to various staff within OPM office.

Meanwhile, Atuhirwe had been accused of failing to properly manage and ensure accountability for sh2.2b being funds that were meant for peace-building activities in the Karamoja sub-region.

Kitutu

In the amended charge sheet, Kitutu is battling the offence of causing financial loss, contrary to section 20 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act. The offence attracts a maximum sentence of 14 years imprisonment upon conviction.

Prosecution alleges that between February and June 2022, while performing her duties as Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Kitutu failed to conduct various peace-building activities in the Karamoja sub-region knowing or having reason to believe that her omission would cause loss of sh1.5b to Government.