Parliament’s communications director Chris Obore and six other officials are now headed for the High Court, where they will face trial over alleged corruption.
The development follows a fresh indictment filed by Inspectorate of Government prosecutors, who added new charges to the case after obtaining what they described as new evidence.
Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe committed the seven officials to the High Court on Monday.
The accused include some of Parliament’s senior administrative officers: Human Resource Director Adilo Daniel, Principal Research Officer Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu, Principal Protocol Officer Okwi Emmanuel Emuron, Capacity Development Officer Otebata Vincent and Executive Secretary in the Office of the Speaker Okema Leonard.
Also committed is Murebe Methods, the CEO of the Uganda Parliamentary Cooperative Savings and Credit Society Ltd (Parliamentary SACCO).
The seven are currently being held at Luzira Prison. Money laundering charge changes the case
The latest development in the case is the addition of money laundering charges.
Okwi now faces three charges, money laundering, embezzlement and causing financial loss. The prosecution has also brought the same charges against his fellow accused.
The new money laundering allegations have had a direct effect on the officials’ attempts to secure bail.
Magistrate Asiimwe previously declined to deal with their bail applications after the prosecution introduced the money laundering offences. The reason is that such charges fall within the powers of the High Court rather than the magistrate’s court.
The High Court subsequently took over the bail matter and last week fixed September 9 for a consolidated ruling on the applications filed by the seven officials.
One suspect remains at large Itute Stella, an Office Supervisor attached to the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, remains outside the proceedings for now.
She was not included in the indictment because authorities have not yet arrested her.
The prosecution and defence teams will next appear before the Registrar of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court on August 18 for mention of the case.
The committal means the magistrate’s court has now completed its role in preparing the case for trial, leaving the High Court to handle the substantive proceed
Prosecutors accuse the officials of using their positions within Parliament to access and misuse more than Shs27.2 billion between May 2023 and June 2026.
Those caught up in the scandal include Human Resource Director Daniel Adilo, Personal Assistant to Parliament Stella Tuta, Executive Secretary in the Office of the Speaker Leonard Okema, Principal Protocol Officer Emmanuel Okwi, Vincent Otebata and Principal Research Officer Rajaab Kaalya.
Obore is accused of allegedly taking Shs5.253 billion, while his co-accused are linked to other multi-billion shilling transactions.
Adilo Daniel- UGX 14.6 billion Okema Leonard – UGX 3.48 billion Rajab Kaya Semalulu- UGX 2.17 billion Okwi Emmanuel Emron -UGX 1.105 billion Otebata Vincent – UGX 5.253 billion, among others.
The state alleges that money meant for parliamentary donations and corporate social responsibility activities was received, but the projects it was intended for were never carried out.
The prosecution also slapped the accused with a money laundering charge involving about Shs10.89 billion, alleging that the officials handled funds believed to be proceeds of crime.
But in court, the magistrate declined to take plea on the money laundering count, saying the matter could not be handled at that level.
