Trial of Nine Finance Officials for Shs52 Billion Fraud Set for November

The trial of nine Ministry of Finance officials, including former Accountant General Lawrence Ssemakula, is set to begin on November 10, 2026, at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.

They face charges of diverting billions of shillings in public funds. A preliminary hearing will take place on November 9, with all accused denying the charges.

Defense lawyer Mwesigwa Rukutana argued that the prosecution must prove its case without relying on agreed facts.

Chief State Attorney Richard Birivumbuka requested a preliminary hearing to identify undisputed issues, which Justice David Makumbi supported, hoping to streamline the trial process.

He reminded the accused of their option to pursue plea bargaining before the hearing.

The officials are accused of manipulating government payment systems to divert funds meant for loan repayments to international organizations, totaling over US$14 million.

Allegations include altering electronic payment files and intercepting communications to conceal fraudulent transactions.

The prosecution plans to present forensic audit reports to support its claims, stating that corrective actions were not taken, allowing further fraud to occur. The Bank of Uganda reportedly recovered more than US$6.1 million from the scheme