The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has remanded Joshua Abaho the Senior Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Karamoja Affairs to Luzira Prison on charges of corruption and conspiring with his boss Minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu to defraud the government of its iron sheets.
Abaho on Thursday morning handed himself to court following criminal summons that were previously issued against him by Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro. He was required to appear and be charged over his role in the iron sheets scandal.
Abaho, who hails from Western Uganda will reappear in Court on May 2 for hearing of his bail application.
The suspect aged 46 and resident of Sonde, Mukono district is facing four charges including loss of public property and corruption.
Prosecution alleges that Joshua Abaho between the month of June 2022 and January 2023, at the Office of the Prime Minister’s stores, Namanve, Mukono District, being a public official in the position of Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry for Karamoja Affairs, diverted 9,000 (Nine Thousand) Pre-painted Iron Sheets of Gauge 28 belonging to the State, which was meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme, for purposes unrelated to those for which they were intended and for the benefit of third parties, which he received by virtue of his position for purposes of custody and
distribution under the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme.
Further, Abaho, during the month of January 2023 at the Office of the Prime Minister’s stores, Namanve, Mukono District, being a public official in the position of Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry for Karamoja Affairs, diverted 5,500 (Five Thousand Five Hundred) Pre-painted Iron Sheets of Gauge 28 belonging to the State, which was meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme, for purposes unrelated to those for which they were intended, and for the benefit of third parties, which he received by virtue of his position for purposes of custody and distribution under the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme.
Abaho presented five sureties, Kenneth Mugumya Tibijuka the Assistant Commissioner in the Ministry of Education who is also his elder brother, Johnson Musinguzi his cousin and Assistant Commissioner Ministry of Works and Transport and Geoffrey Ndiwalana the Engineer for Makindye Sabagabo Municipal Council.
Other sureties are Simon Peter Kasyate his nephew who is also the Deputy Director of Public and Corporate Affairs at Kampala Capital City Authority and Simon Tumwesigye Karokora his Cousin, brother who also doubles as the Customs Supervisor at Uganda Revenue Authority.
30 government officials including Minister and MPs are implicated in the diversion of the iron sheets meant for vulnerable Karamojongs.
So far 3 ministers have been charged and remanded to Luzira Prison.
Minister of Karamoja Affairs Goretti Kitutu her junior Agnes Nandutu and State Minister for Planning Amos Lugolobi are the only ones who have been arraigned in Court and charged.