The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has scheduled September hearing dates for the trial of former Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, Geraldine Ssali and five co-accused persons facing charges related to the alleged mismanagement and theft of billions of shillings in government compensation funds.
Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga on Wednesday fixed September 9, 10, 15, 17 and 24, 2026, for the hearing of the long-running case after directing the prosecution to complete disclosure of evidence by June 26.
The judge also extended bail for all the accused persons, including principal cooperative officer Leonard Kavundira, who was absent from court.
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 Kavundira.
The case resumed after months of uncertainty following a Constitutional Court ruling that struck down a provision of the Human Rights Enforcement Act that had previously halted the proceedings.
Addressing court, Justice Kajuga explained that the trial had been suspended because of an application filed by Akamba under the Human Rights Enforcement Act
‘The trial was halted pending the determination of that application because the Human Rights Enforcement Act enjoins this court to first halt the trial if a person raises a human rights enforcement matter,’ Justice Kajuga said.
She added that following the Constitutional Court decision, the case could now move forward, although Akamba’s pending application would still be heard separately. ‘There was an oversight and your application will still be heard in case you still want it to be heard,’ the judge told Akamba.
After consulting his lawyers, Akamba informed court that he remained interested in pursuing the application.
‘The honourable court should stick on the provisions of the Human Rights Enforcement Act. Section 8 was never nullified and yet it was one of the questions for reference,’ Akamba said.
‘It is my humble prayer that my application should be fixed for hearing.’
Akamba’s application, which seeks declarations against the Attorney General and challenges the legality of the criminal proceedings against him, was subsequently fixed for hearing on July 1, 2026.
The prosecution acknowledged that it had not yet completed disclosure of evidence to the defence Chief State Attorney Edward Muhumuza attributed the delay to the lengthy stay of proceedings.
‘My Lord, it’s true that we have not fully disclosed because there was a stay. But we can disclose by Friday. We pray the matter is fixed in August for hearing,’ Muhumuza told court.
Justice Kajuga directed the State to complete disclosure by June 26, stressing that the process was necessary before trial could commence.
The judge also revealed that one of the assessors who had previously been appointed to assist the court had died, making it necessary to appoint a replacement before the hearing begins.
‘We will however reassess the assessors. Unfortunately, we lost one of them, and I do not think it is wise to proceed with only two assessors,’ she said.
The court registrar was directed to vet two new persons for appointment as assessors. During the proceedings, Ssali’s lawyer, John Isabirye, informed court that his client is scheduled to undergo surgery on August 25 and would require at least a week of recovery.
‘I have been interacting with my client and she says she has a surgery on August 25 and she was told that she needed to rest for one week,’ Isabirye said.
He added that several defence lawyers would be engaged in election petition matters during July and August and requested that the hearing be scheduled for September.
Justice Kajuga said she intended to hear the matter in concentrated sessions.
‘I want to handle this matter in form of a session, like a week, or five days,’ she said.