By Spy Uganda
The Shs3.8 billion compensation fraud case involving high-ranking government officials took a new twist on Monday after former Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary Geraldine Ssali once again became the centre of courtroom attention this time for failing to appear before the Anti-Corruption Court.
While other suspects, including three Members of Parliament, stood before the registrar as required, Ssali’s empty seat immediately raised eyebrows and prompted the court to escalate the matter. Acting Assistant Registrar Patrick Talisuna issued a criminal summons after prosecution reported that Ssali had neither appeared nor communicated any reason for her absence.
Senior State Attorney Raymond Mugisa confirmed that all accused persons were present except the former permanent secretary, compelling the state to request that she be formally summoned even as they await guidance from the Constitutional Court on broader human rights issues tied to the case.
The matter had been scheduled for mention as the court awaits a ruling on an application by Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, who wants the charges against him dismissed on claims of rights violations during his arrest.
Though counsel holding brief for Ssali’s lawyer noted that her surety was present, no explanation was offered regarding her absence, a silence that further heightened tension in the courtroom.
In a separate development, MP Akamba’s lawyer, Sydney Odong, asked that the next mention date be set after the general elections, arguing that the political environment was too charged for meaningful progress. Despite the request, the registrar adjourned the case to February 5, 2026, extending bail for all accused persons except Ssali, for whom a criminal summons was ordered.
The accused, Ssali, MPs Michael Mawanda, Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu, and Paul Akamba, alongside lawyer Julius Taitankoko Kirya and cooperatives official Leonard Kavundira face a catalogue of charges, including abuse of office, conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, and causing financial loss.
Prosecution alleges that Ssali irregularly included Buyaka Growers Co-operative Society in the list of groups eligible for war-loss compensation during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years, despite the group not appearing in the authorised supplementary budget. She is further accused of authorising Shs3.8 billion in irregular payments to Kirya and Company Advocates, the law firm owned by a co-accused, under the pretext of compensating war-loss claimants.
The trial has been bogged down by procedural challenges, including an earlier ruling by Justice Jane Kajuga Akuo that the court must first address MP Akamba’s human rights application before any substantive hearing can begin.
With the latest adjournment, the case now hinges on the Constitutional Court’s pending decision while Ssali’s unexpected absence adds yet another layer of uncertainty to a case already fraught with legal and political complexity.
