The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has fixed June 17 for mention of the case in which former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives Geraldine Ssali and five others are accused of causing government financial loss and conspiring to defraud the State of billions of shillings.
According to a hearing notice issued by the Anti-Corruption Division, the matter will come up before Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga, paving the way for the long-running criminal proceedings to move closer to trial.
The accused are Ssali, Igara East MP Michael Mawanda Maranga, Elgon County MP Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi, former Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, lawyer Julius Taitankoko Kirya and principal cooperative officer Leonard Kavundira.
“Take notice that the above matter before Hon. Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga has been fixed for mention on June 17, 2026 at 9:00am or soon thereafter,” reads part of the court notice issued.
The development comes days after the Constitutional Court delivered a landmark ruling that removed a major legal obstacle which had threatened to halt the prosecution.
In its decision, a panel of five Constitutional Court judges struck down Section 11(2) of the Human Rights Enforcement Act, a provision that required courts to terminate criminal proceedings and acquit accused persons whenever violations of non-derogable rights were established.
The justices held that the provision was inconsistent with the Constitution because it allowed acquittals without a full trial.
“The Constitution is unequivocal that an acquittal may only ensue upon the conclusion of a trial in which the court has received, scrutinised and evaluated the evidence,” the court ruled.
The constitutional challenge had arisen from proceedings involving Akamba, who argued that he had been tortured by security operatives during his arrest and was therefore entitled to an acquittal under the impugned provision.
The ruling effectively cleared the way for prosecutors to proceed with the substantive corruption and money laundering case against all six accused persons.
The prosecution alleges that during the 2021/2022 financial year, Ssali abused her office by introducing Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited onto a list of entities eligible for government compensation despite the cooperative not appearing in the approved supplementary budget.
She is further accused of authorising payments amounting to Shs3.8 billion to Kirya and Company Advocates in contravention of Treasury Instructions.
It is further contended that between 2019 and 2023, the accused conspired to defraud government of more than Shs3.4 billion earmarked for compensating cooperatives affected during the 1981-1986 liberation war and subsequent insurgencies.
The case has suffered several delays, including adjournments caused by the pending Constitutional Court proceedings and the absence of prosecutors. At one stage, the hearing was postponed after state attorneys attended a national prosecution symposium.
The June 17 appearance is expected to provide direction on the next phase of the proceedings and possible dates for the commencement of the trial.