By Our Reporter
NATIONAL
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit has finally produced to court the Senior Counsel of Ms Matovu & Matovu Advocates on Charges of theft by an agent and conspiracy to defraud government of over Shs4Billion.
Mr. Matovu John, was today, 13th August, 2024 arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court to join Basoga Charles, the Chairperson Busoga Growers Cooperative and others who are on trial over the same.
According to the charge sheet, Matovu while entrusted as one of the advocates for Busoga Growers Cooperative Union to pursue war loss compensation claims from government conspired and stole the funds.
He has been remanded until 16th August 2024.
Last week, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) asked the Anti-Corruption Court to issue warrants for arrest of John Matovu and Fred Makada, senior partners at Matovu and Matovu Advocates and Makada and Makada Advocates, respectively for failing to appear in court to answer charges of theft alongside other suspects in the case.
The duo, along with Jinja District Commercial Officer James Muganza and Cooperative Chairman Charles Basoga, are accused of pillaging over Shs7 billion from the cooperative.
The former Uganda Law Society boss Matovu and Makada had repeatedly defied court summons.
Magistrate Albert Asiimwe extended the criminal summons for Matovu and Makada, warning that failure to appear at the next hearing on August 12 will result in their arrest. Matovu has however, responded to the summons.
This is the second high-profile case involving the theft of cooperative funds to be heard by the Anti-Corruption Court in recent months.
The first case, involving three MPs, a lawyer, a permanent secretary, and a trade official, has already been committed to the High Court for trial.
