By Spy Uganda
It’s not good news for the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja who is set to be kicked behind the Anti-corruption Court dock over the diversion of Karamoja iron sheets.
The development comes a day after the presidential affairs committee tabled its report on the diverted Karamoja iron sheets scandal, where they found the Kakumiro girl, Nabbanja culpable for failing to rein in as her junior ministers were awarding themselves public property meant for the vulnerable Karamoja karachunas. But important to note also, is the fact that Nabbanja was part of the cabinet meeting that sat in State House and specially cut out a budget to lift up Karamojongs by buying them iron sheets and other special attention. So the idea of her having diverted them unconsciously doesn’t hold any water, since she was involved in the planning process, a source from DPP’s office who didn’t want to be on record told our Spy via phone chat.
This insider also put holes in Ababiku’s part of the report where committee members suggested that Nabbanja should ‘simply’ apologize and matter ends, when others like ministers, Agnes Nandutu and Amos Lugoloobi are languishing in court.
“No, no Mr Irumba, you can’t be the prime suspect in a case, the other secondary suspects are charged and you, the prime suspect all you’re required to do is to apologize! That’s not the law and that’s not equity which we serve as a Gov’t Agency. I that’s their opinion as politicians in parliament and they’re protecting their own, which is okay, but then that doesn’t inform how we work this side of the law,” s/he said.
In the Jessica Ababiku report tabled during Monday’s plenary, it was recommended that PM Nabbanja, Karamoja Affairs Ministers for cabinet and state Dr. Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nanduttu respectively be held liable for the thieving scandal that cost taxpayers billions of money.
The same committee also recommended that the Speaker of Parliament Rt. Hon. Anita Among, Vice President Jessica Alupo, and Deputy Prime Ministers Rukia Nakadaama and Rebecca Kadaga apologize for ‘unconsciously’ taking government property.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa who presided over the plenary tasked lawmakers to refrain from debating on the matter citing subjudice rule as he argued that the matter was already in courts of law. He guided the legislators to talk about the diverted goats and maize instead.
Aside from parliament, well-placed sources in the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions have disclosed that any time from now, Prime Minister Rt. Hon. Robinah Nabbanja will be in the dock facing the judges on charges of corruption and conspiracy to commit a felony.
Different from last time when she ‘invited’ CIDs to her office for ‘story-telling’, this time round,Nabbanja was reportedly grilled by the CID for close to an hour before she angrily stormed out of the session. Reports say her case has been forwarded to the DPP for prosecution. Irene Nakimbugwe who is the Deputy Spokesperson of the office of the DPP is quoted to have confirmed that some more case files were received for sanctioning and DPP has since okayed ‘some files’ to proceed to court.
Fearing what would befall her in case she is arrested, Nabbanja is reported to have fled to her home district in Kakumiro over the weekend where she spent an undisclosed sum of money rallying her electorate to protest in case she is remanded to Luzira prison like the previous ministers.
Meanwhile, we wait to see whether other officials who are said to have benefited from this scandal will be prosecuted: They include Vice President Jessica Alupo, Minister Rose Lilly Akello, State Minister Moriku Kaducu, former Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, State Minister Jacob Markson Oboth, 3rd Deputy Prime Minister Rukia Nakadama, Finance Minister Matia Kasaija, and others.
It should be noted that Ministers; Amos Lugolobi, Agnes Nandutu, and Mary Goretti Kitutu are some of those who have tasted the wrath of this scandal after spending each a week in Luzira Prison.
