MP Akamba slapped with fresh charges

Paul Akamba slapped with fresh charges related to defrauding of war loss compensation from cooperative unions

The Anti-Corruption Court has committed Busiki County MP Paul Akamba to the high court over corruption and slapped him with fresh charges.

The court also cancelled Mr Akamba's bail and sent him back to prison on remand pending the hearing of his case.

The legislator had prayed for an extension of his bail pending the commencement of the trial at the High Court and while Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya did not object to the plea, the court chose to floor the legislator.

Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro said Mr Akamba will have to reapply for bail from the High Court.

Mr Akamba was arrested together with fellow legislators Lwengo Woman Cissy Namujju and Yusuf Mutembuli of Bunyole East nearly two weeks ago.

They were on June 12 charged with one count of corruption related to negotiating and receiving kickbacks in the Budget Process.

On June 14, Magistrate Aciro gave Akamba temporary freedom but sent Namujju and Mutembuli back to prison.

However, Akamba's freedom lasted just seconds as he was violently rearrested by armed men and driven to an unknown location.

The re-arrest, considered a common nuisance by rights advocates, signalled that the State was not yet done with the Busiki MP.

What started as a light drizzle when Akamba showed up before the same magistrate smiling with his two colleagues has now turned into a downpour that is drenching the legislator with abandon.

Appearing before Aciro on Friday, Mr Akamba found a set of new fellow legislators Mudimi Wamakuyu and Michael Mawanda waiting to face the wrath of the gavel.

The two were earlier this week arrested over defrauding cooperatives of billions of shillings in war loss compensations.

Mr Akamba is facing additional charges with the lot.