Public Accounts Committee Identifies Gaps in Prosecutorial Efficiency

The Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) has criticized the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, as well as the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), for redirecting Shs41.6 billion to activities not included in their approved work plans.

According to the Committee, this diversion occurred without authorization from the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development, Henry Musasizi.

Chaired by Kassanda North MP Patrick Nsamba, the Committee stated that this expenditure violates the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act.

These findings are detailed in the Committee’s report based on the Auditor General’s audit for the year ending December 2025, which was presented during a plenary session led by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.

The ODPP allocated Shs900 million for the construction of Resident State Attorney offices in Katakwi and Yumbe, despite this being outside its approved work plan, while the Ministry of Justice diverted Shs40.7 billion.

The Committee noted that a significant portion of these funds was spent on court awards and compensation.

The report highlighted that the ODPP had filled only 600 of its 1,704 approved positions, leaving 399 prosecutors to manage heavy workloads across 149 field stations. Out of 40,501 new cases received, only 23,184 were forwarded for High Court trial.

The Committee also raised concerns regarding the procurement of Shs457.68 million worth of works for the Yumbe office, which occurred outside the electronic government procurement system.

Additionally, the report pointed out issues with the malfunctioning Prosecution Case Management Information System (PROCAMIS), despite an expenditure of Shs42 billion since 2017.

Nsamba noted that the ODPP paid Shs2.95 billion to M/s Graphics Systems for maintenance and support in 2024/2025, but key deliverables—such as integration with other criminal justice institutions and an off-site disaster recovery facility—were not provided.

The Committee recommended enforcing the contract’s liability provisions, recovering misallocated funds, establishing disaster recovery arrangements, and auditing the system.

Their findings also revealed that infrastructure in Arua and Lira had remained unused since November 2022.

Nsamba mentioned that the Ministry of Justice reported contingent liabilities of Shs3.492 trillion, primarily arising from lawsuits against government entities.

The Committee recommended implementing a litigation management strategy to improve the tracking and management of claims.

Furthermore, they called for enhanced financial accountability, improved staffing, functional digital systems, and stricter oversight of public expenditure.