MP Michael Mawanda, Two Other Legislators & Lawyer Remanded Over Cooperatives Money

Igara East MP Michael Mawanda Maranga, two other MPs and a lawyer have been remanded to  prison until next month over their role in the embezzlement of funds meant for the compensation of cooperative societies.

The other MPs are Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudini who represents Elgon County in Bulambuli District and Paul Akamba of Busiki County in Namutumba District. The remanded lawyer is Julius Kirya of Kirya Company Advocates.

These were recently arrested in a joint operation that involved police’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) and the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SH-ACU).

MPs Mawanda, Wamakuyu and Akamba were arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala on June 21, 2024. They face charges of diversion of funds and conspiracy to defraud.

State prosecution alleges that the accused conspired and diverted over Shs3.4bn meant for war loss compensation by Government Uganda to Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society for their personal use.

They have been remanded until July 09 to allow the state gather more information and conclude investigations into their acts of diversion of monies meant for compensation of cooperative societies.

This is the second time MP Akamba is appearing before an anti-corruption court to face charges related to graft. He was one of the three MPs arraigned in court for demanding part of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) budget while promising to help push through an increment of the commission’s budgetary allocation.

Akamba was rearrested as soon as he was granted bail by Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro a week ago. His woes now relate to two scandals: the UHRC budget saga and the cooperative societies compensation scandal.

Before being remanded, Mawanda, who is closely linked with first son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s PLU group, had spent at least two nights at the Natete Police Station. On June 20, detectives searched the home of MP Michael Mawanda for up to three hours. (Read Details Here).