CORRUPTION: 2 More MPs Arrested Over Corruption; Mawanda’s Home Searched for Nearly 5 Hours

#IvanKaahwaReports

In a turn of events following the president of Uganda’s tough statements against corruption, parliament is now facing intense investigations targeting its members. Initially, three Members of Parliament were arrested, tried in court, and sent to Luzira Prison. These include Lwengo District Woman MP Cissy Namujju, Bunyole West MP Yusuf Mutembuli, and Busiki County MP Paul Akamba.Paul Akamba was rearrested after securing cash bail of 13 million shillings. Chief Magistrate Joan Aciiro, who ordered him to deposit his passport, granted the bail.

Despite fulfilling the bail conditions, plainclothes armed personnel grabbed Akamba as he exited the court premises, driving him to an unknown destination. The police denied knowledge of his whereabouts but stated that they were looking for him. The UPDF also noted that they cannot handle civil matters and advised waiting for a full report from the police agency.

Akamba is jointly charged with Cissy Namujju and Yusuf Mutembuli. Both Namujju and Mutembuli were earlier denied bail due to a lack of substantial sureties. The prosecution alleges that MPs Mutembuli, Akamba, and Namujju solicited an undue advantage of 20% of the anticipated budget of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) for the financial year 2024/2025 from Mariam Wangadya, the Chairperson of UHRC, on May 13, 2024, at Hotel Africana in Kampala.

In a separate case, Michael Mawanda, the Igara East Member of Parliament, was also arrested on charges of misappropriating 164 billion shillings meant to compensate cooperative beneficiaries. He was detained at Natete Police Station after nearly six hours of interrogation at the Police Directorate of Criminal Investigations in Kibuli, pending his court appearance on June 21, 2024.

Mawanda was accompanied by police detectives to his residence in Kololo for a search to aid in the ongoing investigations. His lawyers’ concerns about not being informed of the search and the denial of police bond went unheeded. The search took close to five hours, after which a police officer moved out of Mawanda’s residence with a bag that was kept in an evidence response van. Following the search, operatives drove the legislator to Natete Police Station, where he awaits his appearance in the Anti-Corruption Court. Currently, there are two legislators facing fresh charges of mismanaging the 164 billion shillings meant for the compensation of cooperative societies: Igara East MP Michael Mawanda and Elgon County legislator Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu, who is under detention at Kira Division Police Station.

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