The High court has further extended the bail for the state minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Amos Lugoloobi, who is accused of diverting iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja.
His trial before the Anti-Corruption court on Tuesday flopped after lady justice Margaret Tibulya failed to show up. Prosecution alleges that Lugoloobi while at the Office of the Prime Minister stores in Namanve in Mukono district, and at different places in Matuga, Wakiso district, and Ntejeru North Constituency in Kayunga district dealt with 700 pre-painted iron sheets marked ‘Office of the Prime Minister’.
According to the prosecution, the iron sheets which were reportedly acquired as a result of loss of property were obtained in two phases – with one involving 400 iron sheets between July 14, 2022, and February 2023, and another batch of 300 iron sheets obtained between February 1, 2023, and March 16, 2023.
Both parties appeared before the acting senior principal grade one magistrate Abert Asiimwe. Prosecution led by state attorney Gloria Inzikuru asked for an adjournment saying that the judge is currently indisposed. In response, Lugoloobi’s lawyers John Isabirye and Tonny Tumukunde informed the court that their client who was present in court did not object to the adjournment.
Asiimwe adjourned the case to October 16. Lugoloobi was committed by the Chief Magistrate’s court last month to face trial after the completion of investigations into the charges against him. His passport was also returned to him after he asked the court to relax the bail terms against him.
He argued that he was a frequent traveler, representing Uganda abroad in several official meetings, and therefore wanted it to be easier for him to secure visas instead of going to court to ask for permission whenever he wanted to travel.
