Controversial city lawyer Male Mabirizi has asked the Anti-Corruption Court to halt all arrests and prosecutions of suspects connected to the Karamoja iron sheet scandal.
So far, three ministers, including Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu, State Minister for Finance (Planning) Amos Lugoloobi, and State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu, have been arrested over relief iron sheets meant for the people of Karamoja.
22 ministers, 31 MPs, and 13 district administrative officers have also been implicated in the scandal, in addition to Vice President Jessica Alupo, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.
Mabirizi, however, argues that because the involved officials are not accounting officers, they cannot be prosecuted for their roles in the scandal.
According to Mabirizi, the said officials are not held accountable under the law; rather, it is the job of the permanent secretary of the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and those who report to him or her.
Mabirizi claims that the right to a fair hearing has been violated by disjointed investigations, arrests, detentions, and prosecutions.
Mabirizi wants the court to issue a permanent injunction prohibiting the police, DPP, or any other state agency from continuing their investigations, making any additional arrests, holding any of them, or bringing legal action against the Vice President, Speaker, Prime Minister, Ministers, MPs, or local government officials.
Mabirizi has listed the DPP and the attorney general as the only respondents in this case and demands that they jointly and severally pay him general, exemplary, and aggravated damages as well as the costs of the suit.
Mabirizi’s application, which was submitted on Monday, will now be heard on May 22, 2023, before Judge Lawrence Gidudu of the Anti-Corruption Court.