What next for Geraldine Ssali after getting bail?

Ms Ssali joined legislators Michael Mawanda and Paul Akamba and their co-accused city lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko in gaining some respite.

NATIONAL | The Friday morning downpour and dark clouds had more boon than bane for corruption suspects appearing in court with Geraldine Ssali also walking out on bail after more than a month on remand in Luzira.

Justice Jane Kajuga of the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court Friday granted the former Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Trade and Industry temporary reprieve from the high-rise walls of Luzira with stringent conditions.

Ms Ssali joined legislators Michael Mawanda and Paul Akamba and their co-accused city lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko in gaining some respite.

She had to pay Shs35 million cash bail with her five sureties signing up on Shs50 million non-cash.

Judge Kajuga also ordered Ms Ssali to deposit her passport and certificate of land title with the court.

Ms Ssali is facing charges of abuse of office and corruption for her role in the dubious financial dealings in which more then Shs7bn of war loss claims was pilfered.

She also faces charges of money laundering, stealing by agent and recieving stolen property.

Prosecution alleges that Ms Ssali, during the financial year 2021/ 2022 and 2022/ 2023, introduced Buyaka Growers Co-operative Society among those to be compensated by government for the war loss yet it had not been listed for a supplementary budget of August 2021.

That Ssali in further performance of her duties, made irregular payments to a tune of Shs3.868 billion to Kirya and Company Advocates, a law firm belonging to co-suspect lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankonko, under the guise of compensating war victims of Buyaka Growers well knowing that her actions will cause government a financial loss because the said payment was in contravention of the Treasury instructions of 2017.

Ms Ssali is further accused of conspiring with MPs and other officials to defraud the government of Shs3.4 billion which was intended to compensate war victims for Buyaka Growers Co-operative society.

However, while Mawanda and Akamba will return to business and usual as confirmed by Mr Chris Obore, the director of public affairs and communication at Parliament, Ms Ssali will stay home.

"They [MPs Mawanda and Akamba] are innocent until proven guilty by courts of law," Mr Obore said.

"Ssali is an appointed technocrat whose appointing authority can revoke the appointment anytime but MPs are elected."

President Museveni last month wasted no time in replacing Ms Ssali with Alex Kakooza as the Trade, Industries and Cooperatives caretaker accountant.

While she is not officially interdicted, it is unlikely she will be walking back to office before the case - whose trial starts in November - is disposed of.

The Nile Post has contacted the Ministry of Public Service and Labour about the fate of Ms Ssali.