Geraldine Ssali Trial Date Uganda: Anti-Corruption Case Set for Dec 2026

• The trial for Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade Geraldine Ssali and five co-accused is set to begin on December 5, 2026, in Uganda's Anti-Corruption Court.
• Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga, who was appointed Acting Principal Judge in April 2025, dismissed Busiiki County MP Paul Akamba's application to halt proceedings, which was based on a human rights appeal.
• The court ruled that Akamba's alleged human rights violations were not sufficiently connected to the corruption charges to justify a trial stay.
• The accused face 12 counts, including diversion of public resources and money laundering, related to Shs3.868 billion intended for war loss compensation.
• Justice Kajuga emphasized the need for timely justice, noting the case had been pending since June 2024 without a single witness testimony.

Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga ruled that while alleged human rights violations were serious, they were not sufficiently connected to the corruption case to justify halting the trial.

The Anti-Corruption Court in Uganda has officially scheduled the trial for Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade Geraldine Ssali and five co-accused to commence on December 5, 2026. This significant development in the Uganda corruption case December 2026 was announced by Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga, who was appointed Acting Principal Judge in April 2025, and who also recently dismissed an application aimed at delaying the proceedings.

The charges against Ssali and her co-accused are centered on the alleged fraudulent diversion of 3.8 billion shillings, funds originally earmarked for war loss compensation. This decision to proceed with the Geraldine Ssali trial date Uganda underscores the judiciary's commitment to advancing high-profile cases, even in the face of legal challenges designed to impede their progress.

A key aspect of Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga's ruling involved the rejection of an application by Busiiki County MP Paul Akamba, one of the co-accused, who sought to halt the criminal proceedings. Akamba's request was predicated on a pending appeal before the Supreme Court, stemming from a human rights enforcement case. He had alleged abduction, assault, and incommunicado detention following his re-arrest on corruption-related charges, seeking, among other remedies, the nullification of the criminal proceedings.

Justice Kajuga acknowledged the gravity of the alleged human rights violations, stating they were serious and not to be belittled. However, she firmly ruled that these violations were not sufficiently connected to the corruption case itself to warrant a stay of the trial. This stance aligns with an earlier Constitutional Court decision, which held that human rights enforcement applications should not be exploited as a means to evade criminal responsibility. The judge further noted that Akamba had also filed an application to stay his human rights enforcement case, which remained unheard, and reasoned that allowing the prosecution to be halted would result in a miscarriage of justice.

The accused, including Geraldine Ssali, Igara East County MP Michael Maranga Mawanda, Elgon County MP Ignatius Wamakuyu Mudimi, Paul Akamba, lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko, and Principal Cooperative Officer in the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Cooperatives Leonard Kavundira, recently denied an amended indictment presented before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court. This indictment comprises 12 counts, encompassing serious offenses such as diversion of public resources, receiving stolen property, stealing by an agent, money laundering, abuse of office, causing financial loss, and conspiracy to defraud.

The prosecution alleges that the defendants were involved in the illicit diversion of Shs3.868 billion. These funds were intended to compensate the Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited for war losses, highlighting the severe nature of the Uganda war loss compensation fraud. Specifically, lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko is accused of transferring Shs3.578 billion to various individuals, with Mawanda, Mudimi, and Akamba also implicated in the broader scheme.

Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga expressed significant concern over the protracted nature of the Uganda Anti-Corruption Court proceedings. She highlighted that the case had been committed to the court in June 2024, yet not a single witness had testified since then. The judge underscored the critical importance of cases being heard and concluded expeditiously, acknowledging the considerable toll the ongoing legal process has taken on the accused, who have been required to appear in court since 2024.

Justice Kajuga's ruling established that there was no justifiable reason to further delay the proceedings. The trial will only be halted under specific circumstances: either if the Director of Public Prosecutions withdraws the charges or if the Supreme Court issues a stay concerning the implementation of the Constitutional Court's decision. This firm stance by the court reinforces the principle that criminal trials, particularly those involving diversion of public resources charges, should progress without undue delay, setting a clear precedent for future cases.

This ruling establishes a precedent that the Ugandan Anti-Corruption Court will not easily grant stays of criminal proceedings based on human rights appeals unless directly linked to the criminal charges. Lawyers defending clients in corruption cases should advise them that such appeals are unlikely to halt trials and prepare for swift progression once trial dates are set, noting the court's emphasis on timely justice.

Source: Original reporting