By Leilah Bbaale
The Anti-corruption Court Registrar Pamela Lamunu Ocaya is today expected to rule on an application filed by the State Finance minister Amos Lugoloobi in which he seeks to relax his bail terms.
On July 4 2023, Lugoloobi filed an application seeking to relax his bail terms issued by Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe and asked Court to return his diplomatic passport to him indefinitely since his line of work requires him to travel most the time.
Minister Lugoloobi, through his lawyers led by Tonny Tumukunde, told court that he has formally been invited to several important conferences since he was granted bail by court but cannot travel because he has no travel document.
Lugoloobi also argues that he has family and state responsibilities like serving the people of Kayunga district, parliament, formulation of fiscal and monetary policies among others, and therefore cannot jump bail.
However, the prosecution led by Gloria Izukuru earlier asked the court to dismiss the application, saying that when Lugoloobi was granted bail, he did not gain his temporary freedom for purposes of making regular travels outside the country but instead to enable him secure medical treatment.
Lugoloobi was in April 2023 charged with dealing with suspect property after being implicated in the diversion of iron sheets meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme.
The prosecution alleges at 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 government property in form of 700 prepainted iron sheets marked ‘Office of the Prime Minister.
Lugoloobi denied the allegations and was granted a cash bail of Shs10 million and his movements were restricted within Uganda, unless with permission from the court.
Prosecution while relying on an affidavit of Senior State Attorney Sarafina Bireke, said readiness and willingness for Lugoloobi to observe the varied terms is speculative, prejudicial, and offends the interest of justice because he is not the only government official or minister who can travel abroad to represent Uganda on functions and high-level meetings.
However, the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions asked court to dismiss Lugoloobi’s application since he’s not the only minister to travel and represent the country.
