DPP Drops Corruption Charges Against MPs in UHRC Bribery Case

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Lino Anguzu, has formally withdrawn corruption charges against three Members of Parliament who were accused of soliciting bribes to influence the budget of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC).

In a notice dated January 6, 2026, filed before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, the DPP discontinued criminal proceedings against Bunyole East MP Yusuf Mutembuli, Busiki County MP Paul Akamba, and Lwengo District Woman MP Cissy Dionizia Namujju.

The trio had been accused of demanding a 20 per cent kickback from UHRC Chairperson Mariam Wangadya in exchange for influencing Parliament to increase the Commission’s budget for the 2024/2025 financial year.

The case gained national prominence following the June 2024 State of the Nation Address, in which President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni claimed to have “overwhelming evidence” of corruption among public officials. He alleged collusion between some MPs, accounting officers, the Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of Uganda to manipulate budget allocations for kickbacks, pledging a crackdown and hinting at possible amnesty for implicated legislators.

Prosecutors had alleged that the MPs met Wangadya at Hotel Africana, where the bribe demand was made. Investigators cited audio recordings, CCTV footage, call data records, and forensic analysis of mobile phones as key evidence.

Namujju and Mutembuli had already been committed to the High Court for trial after the DPP indicated investigations were complete, while Akamba’s whereabouts were contested by his lawyers at the time.

With the filing of the notice, all criminal proceedings against Mutembuli, Akamba, and Namujju related to the alleged UHRC bribery scheme have been terminated. The decision was communicated to the court by Jonathan Muwaganya, the Chief State Attorney and Head of the Investment Crimes Prosecution Unit, who informed the Deputy Registrar that the Government would no longer proceed with the case. By the time of the withdrawal, Wangadya had already testified against the accused MPs.

The three now join Amos Lugoloobi, the State Minister for Economic Planning, whose corruption charges linked to the mismanagement of iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja were dropped in December 2025.

Despite the termination of the UHRC case, other MPs remain before the Anti-Corruption Court facing related charges. These include Michael Mawanda and Mudimi Womakuyu, alongside Akamba, who appears on both files. In the separate matter, the MPs are jointly charged with Geraldine Ssali, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives; Leonard Kavundira; and city lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko.

Prosecution alleges that the accused conspired to defraud 3.4 billion shillings earmarked to compensate Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited in Bulambuli District, with the alleged offences occurring between 2019 and 2023.