The Chief Magistrate At the Anti Corruption Court, Joan Aciro has deferred the committal proceedings for the Karamoja Minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu to be tried in the High Court until a ruling is made in another matter challenging the territorial jurisdiction to try her in Kampala instead of Namisindwa district where the allegedly crimes were committed .
This after the DPP informed court that it had concluded investigations in the case against Minister Kitutu and her co -accused . According to the prosecution between June 2022 and January 2023 at the office of the Prime Minister ‘s stores in Namanve, Mukono district , 9,000 pre-painted iron sheets of gauge 28 were diverted from the intended purpose of benefiting the Karamoja community empowerment program.
it is further alleged that the iron sheets were diverted for Kitutu’s personal gain and for the benefit of third parties with full knowledge of the potential loss of public property. The prosecution further alleges that in January 2023 at the same location , Kitutu and Abaho diverted an additional 5,500 iron sheets for unrelated purposes.
However, during the committal proceedings ,Kitutu’s lawyers objected to the committal argued that there is an application which was filed in the High Court challenging the territorial jurisdiction to try their clients in Kampala.
At this point, Chief Magistrate Aciro adjourned the proceedings to June 29th, awaiting the outcome of the pending ruling on Monday.
