The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mike Chibita and Deputy Inspector General of Government (IGG) George Bamugemereire have down played questions that they clash during investigations of high profile corruption cases.
Whereas Justice Chibita says there has not been any clash between the two institutions, Bamugemereire says there are times when investigating institutions disagree on course and extent of the probe.
One case that Bamugemereire cited is the 2014 Katosi road scam that resulted in a financial loss of 24.7 billion Shillings to the Government of Uganda.
He said many institutions were involved in investigating Katosi and after a few weeks, one of them said there was no evidence and recommended that the probe be halted.
Bamugemereire said the office of the IGG decided to take the case forward.
The Anti-corruption court in October ruled that there is a prima facie case and ordered involved officials to file defenses.
The Katosi case raised eyebrows in court when it came to notice that its file was not sanctioned by the Directorate of Public Prosecutions.
The law requires all criminal files to be sanctioned by the DPP. Peter Mulira, a lawyer representing one of the Katosi suspectes recently contested in the Constitutional Court the IGG’s decision to institute criminal charges against suspects without the mandate.
Bamugemereire said the office of the IGG has been vindicated because evidence availed in the Katosi scam has passed a prima facie test.
Bamugemereire says investigations are not like mathematics where one plus one equals two. He says investigations are judgmental and most cases are not straight forward.
DPP Chibita said IGG and DPP compare notes when they learn that they are investigating same cases and decide who to proceed.
He said there is no clash at all between the two institutions.
The responses were triggered by questions raised during the Anti-corruption open day at the Anti-corruption Court, Kololo, today on conflicts between the two institutions during investigations.
The open day session is part of activities that will climax on December 9th, the global anti-corruption day.
This year’s anti-corruption day is themed “Restoring Integrity in Civil Service; Regaining Public Trust in the Anti-Corruption Fight.”