The long-running corruption case involving former Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary Geraldine Ssali and several high-profile co-accused continues to stall, as the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court awaits guidance from the Constitutional Court.
On April 17, 2026, Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga adjourned the matter to May 29, citing the pending determination of a constitutional petition that has effectively halted trial proceedings.
At the centre of the delay is a petition filed by Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, one of the accused persons, challenging the legality of his prosecution.
Akamba alleges that he was subjected to torture by security personnel during his arrest, arguing that his fundamental human rights were violated. He is seeking dismissal of the charges on that basis.
Ms Ssali faces the charges alongside Igara East MP Michael Mawanda Muranga, Elgon County MP Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudiimi, lawyer Julius Taitankoko Kirya, and Principal Cooperative Officer Leonard Kavundira.
They are jointly accused of abuse of office, conspiracy to defraud, causing financial loss, and money laundering in connection with Shs3.8 billion intended for Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited.
The prosecution contends that Ms Ssali abused her authority during the 2021/2022 financial year by irregularly introducing Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society onto a list of entities eligible for government compensation for war losses, despite the cooperative not appearing in the approved supplementary budget request dated August 4, 2021.
It is further alleged that in the financial years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, Ms Ssali authorised payments amounting to Shs3.8 billion to Kirya and Company Advocates in contravention of the 2017 Treasury Instructions.
According to the prosecution, the accused knew or had reason to believe that their actions would result in financial loss to government, a claim that forms the backbone of the state’s case.
The prosecution also alleges that between 2019 and 2023, the accused persons conspired to defraud government of Shs3.4 billion earmarked for compensating cooperatives affected during the 1981-1986 liberation war and subsequent insurgencies.
Earlier proceedings before the Anti-Corruption Court had already faced procedural interruptions.
At one point, the matter was adjourned due to the absence of the Assistant Registrar, with defence lawyers noting the non-appearance of the prosecution and successfully applying for bail extensions for all accused persons.
The continued delay highlights the growing intersection between constitutional litigation and criminal prosecutions in high-stakes corruption cases, where accused persons increasingly turn to the Constitutional Court to challenge the legality of their arrest and trial.
For now, the fate of the Shs3.8 billion cooperative compensation case remains in limbo, pending a decisive ruling that will determine whether the trial proceeds or collapses altogether.