By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The Anti-Corruption Magistrate’s Court has today, Monday, 10th August, 2026 committed seven Parliamentary officials to the High Court for trial over corruption charges.
The committal to the High Court follows submission by the prosecution that investigations into the alleged embezzlement, money laundering and causing financial loss labeled against the accused officials is over.
According to the summary of the case, prosecution intends to rely on testimonies of the alleged beneficiaries of the money from the districts of Ngora, Bukedea, Serere, Kumi, Mbale, Kitgum, Arua, Soroti and Rakai.
Prosecutors allege that the officials between the years 2023 and 2026 accessed funds from the Parliamentary SACCO for alleged Parliaments donations and Corporate Social Responsibility but never delivered the money to the intended beneficiaries.
Meanwhile, during the proceedings today, defense lawyer, Asuman Basalirwa informed the court that he has lost contact with one of the accused, Ms Stella Itute, and no longer represents her.
Itute, a sister to the embattled ex-Speaker of Parliament was notably omitted from the final indictment.
The officials, who are currently on remand at Luzira Prison, were committed by Grade One Magistrate, HW Esther Asiimwe, after the IGG prosecutors presented indictment containing additional charges arising from new evidence.
The seven officials committed to the High Court are Mr. Obore; Mr. Adilo Daniel, Director of Human Resource; Mr. Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu, Principal Research Officer; Mr. Okwi Emmanuel Emuron, Principal Protocol Officer; Mr. Otebata Vincent, Capacity Development Officer; and Mr. Okema Leonard, Executive Secretary in the Office of the Speaker.
Also committed was Mr. Murebe Methods, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Parliamentary Cooperative Savings and Credit Society Ltd (SACCO).
However, Ms. Itute Stella, an Office Supervisor in the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, was not included in the indictment because she is still at large.
In the indictment, Mr. Okwi faces an additional charge of money laundering alongside the previously preferred charges of embezzlement and causing financial loss. The prosecution has also preferred the same charges against his co-accused.
Following the committal, court directed both the prosecution and defence teams to appear before the Registrar of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court on 18th August, 2026, for the mention of the case.
Last week, the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court scheduled September 9, 2026, to deliver a consolidated ruling on the bail applications filed by the seven Parliament officials.
The bail applications had been affected by the emergence of money laundering charges, which fall within the exclusive jurisdiction of the High Court.
Magistrate Asiimwe had earlier declined to entertain the officials’ bail applications on account of the money laundering charges, paving the way for the matter to be handled by the High Court.
