The accused include Chris Obore Ariko, Director of Communications and Public Affairs; Daniel Adilo, Director of Human Resource; Leonard Okema, Executive Secretary in the Office of the Speaker; and Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu, Principal Research Officer.
Others are Emmanuel Emuron Okwi, Principal Protocol Officer; Vincent Otebata, Capacity Development Officer, and Methods Murebe, Chief Executive Officer of the Uganda Parliamentary Cooperative Savings and Credit Society (SACCO).
They are jointly charged alongside Stella Itute, an Office Supervisor in the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, who was charged in absentia.
The accused appeared before Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe, who read out nine charges including embezzlement, causing financial loss and money laundering.
However, no plea was taken as the Anti-Corruption Court lacks jurisdiction over money laundering offences, which fall under the High Court.
According to the charge sheet, sanctioned by Inspector General of Government Justice Aisha Naluzze and filed by prosecutors from the Inspectorate of Government, the alleged offences were committed between 2023 and May 2026.
The State alleges that all the accused, except Methods Murebe, received funds meant for Parliament’s donations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities but failed to implement the intended programmes, resulting in an alleged financial loss of Shs27.201 billion.
Prosecutors further allege that between January 2023 and April 2026, Obore, Adilo, Okema, Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu, Otebata and Murebe processed, approved and received Shs10.893 billion, knowing or having reason to believe the funds were proceeds of crime.
Individual allegations state that Obore is accused of embezzling Shs5.253 billion, Adilo Shs14.609 billion, Okema Shs3.489 billion, Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu Shs2.170 billion, Emmanuel Emuron Okwi Shs1.105 billion, Stella Itute Shs75 million and Vincent Otebata Shs5.253 billion.
The State alleges the funds belonged to Parliament and were accessed through their respective offices.
State Attorney Daisy Acio, Supervisor of Prosecutions at the Office of the Inspector General of Government, requested an adjournment to allow the prosecution to prepare committal papers for the case to proceed to the High Court, which has jurisdiction over money laundering charges.
The defence lawyers, led by Ibrahim Kikaabe, requested copies of the charge sheet and a short adjournment to prepare for bail applications and their defence.
Magistrate Asiimwe granted the State’s request and remanded all the accused to Luzira Prison until July 7, 2026, as investigations continue.