By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
Prosecution led by Edward Muhumuza has asked the Anti-Corruption Court to deny former Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary, Geraldine Ssali bail.
Ssali on Wednesday, 28th August, 2024 through her lawyer, Emmanuel Kigenyi applied for bail pending court hearing of a case she is accused of causing financial loss, and conspiracy to defraud the Central Government of 3.8 billion shillings, which was intended for the compensation of NRA war victims.
However, the State strongly objected to the application to be decided on Friday, 30th August, 2024 by Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga and presented a sworn affidavit D/SP Mohammed Sowedi attached to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit.
In the affidavit, Sowedi says that Ssali has the capacity to influence and interfere with witnesses by virtue of her former appointment as Permanent Secretary.
The Senior Police detective says that Ssali severally obstructed police investigations into this case to the extent of denying police to access or retrieve relevant evidence from the Ministry of Trade, Co-operatives and Industry until her remand.
Prosecution further argues that there is no need to grant Ssali bail since the hearing of the case has been fixed and that Ssali may abscond since the charges against her are serious in nature involving huge amounts of money.
Prosecution is also worried that if released on bail, Ssali may sell off properties she accrued from the proceeds of this crime making it difficult for the State to trace, identify and subsequently seize them when convicted.
“It is just equitable and in public interest that this bail application is dismissed,” avers Sowedi.
According to the State House Anti-Corruption Unit that carried out the investigations and arrest, Ssali in her capacity as Permanent Secretary in abuse of her office irregularly added Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society among those to be paid war loss compensation in the FY 2021/22, yet it was not initially listed.
She subsequently conspired with others and irregularly made payments of Shs3.4B meant for the Cooperative to Kirya & Co. Advocates, causing financial loss to government.
She is charged alongside three MPs Michael Mawanda Maranga, Mudiimi Wamakuyu, Paul Akamba, Lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankonko and Leonard Kavundira a Ministry of Trade official.
