Three Members of Parliament (MPs) have been sent to the High Court for trial on charges of budget corruption. Following their arrest last week, Mr. Yusuf Mutembuli, Mr. Paul Akamba, and Ms. Cissy Namujju were committed to trial after the Director of Public Prosecutions confirmed the conclusion of police investigations.
During the proceedings at the Anti-Corruption Court, only Mr. Mutembuli and Ms. Namujju appeared before Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro. Mr. Akamba, who was arrested violently after being granted bail on June 14, did not show up, with his lawyers questioning his whereabouts.
The prosecution alleges that the three MPs solicited a 20 percent bribe from Ms. Mariam Wangadya, the chairperson of the Human Rights Commission (UHRC), on May 13, 2024, at Hotel Africana. They are accused of promising to influence the Parliamentary Budget Committee to increase the UHRC's budget for the 2024/2025 financial year in exchange for the bribe.