Amos Lugoloobi ,Minister of State for Finance and Planning has been denied bail by the Anti Corruption Court sitting in Kampala and remanded to Luzira Prison until Thursday April 20.
Lugoloobi who was arrested on Friday evening for receiving iron sheets meant for the vulnerable communities in Karamoja sub region and using them to construct a shed for his goats presented seven sureties who included the ED National Planning Authority and Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom – Dr. Joseph.N. Muvawala.
The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala heard that Lugoloobi, while at the office of the Prime Minister Stores in Namanve, Mukono District and at different places in Matugga, Wakiso and Ntejeru North in Kayunga District dealt with government property containing 700 preprinted iron sheets.
The said iron sheets were obtained in two phases; one containing 400 iron sheets that were taken between July 14, 2022, and February 2023, and another batch of 300 iron sheets obtained between February 16, 2023, and March 16, 2023. Lugoloobi has since denied the charges.
As a result, the Prosecution led by State Attorneys Stanley Moses Baine, David Kisamunyu, Jonathan Muwaganya and Safina Lule informed the court that the investigations in the matter are still ongoing and would take about two weeks to be completed ..
Lugoloobi is the second Minister to be arrested and reminded after Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu was remanded for more than a week before she was granted bail last week.
Lawyers representing Lugolobi put up spirited arguments in their application for their client’s bail –urging that the Minister was of advanced age and was suffering from diabetes and heart diseases which resulted for him to have an operation at Mulago hospital last year .
But the Magistrate in his brief ruling said he needed time to consider and study the arguments from both sides before he will decide whether to grant the accused bail or not on Thursday .
Court also further renewed Criminal Summons against Joshua Abaho, the Senior Assistant Secretary Ministry of Karamoja Affairs in the office of the Prime Minister.
Last month CID stated that they were investigating 22 Ministers, 31 MPs and 13 Chief Administrative Officers.
