Court issues criminal summons against former Trade ministry PS Ssali
Government took a decision to revamp the cooperatives through compensation for losses incurred during the liberation wars of 1978-79 and 1980-86
KAMPALA, November 26, 2025 — The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on Monday issued a criminal summons for Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa, the embattled former Permanent Secretary [PS] of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives [MTIC], after she failed to appear for a scheduled hearing in a fraud case involving the alleged misappropriation of Shs 3.8 billion in war-loss compensation.
The case, which also implicates three sitting Members of Parliament and several senior officials, centres on allegations that Ssali and her co-accused conspired to divert public funds earmarked for the Buyaka Growers Co-operative Society Limited.
Prosecutors allege that during the 2021/22 and 2022/23 financial years, Ssali unlawfully placed the cooperative on an eligibility list for reparations, bypassing the approved supplementary budget. She is further accused of authorising payments to Kirya and Company Advocates—owned by co-defendant Julius Taitankoko Kirya, under the guise of settling legitimate compensation claims.
According to investigators, the scheme violated the 2017 Treasury Instructions and caused significant financial loss to the state, with funds allegedly channelled through a network of intermediaries. “This was not an oversight but a deliberate conspiracy to divert public money,” said Senior State Attorney Raymond Mugisa, who requested the summons following Ssali’s absence.
All other defendants including Members of Parliament Michael Mawanda, Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu and Paul Akamba, as well as lawyer Kirya; and Principal Cooperative Officer Leonard Kavundira, appeared in court on Monday where their bail was extended.
Proceedings had previously been halted in October when Judge Jane Kajuga Akuo ruled that a pending human rights petition filed by Akamba against the Attorney General must first be addressed. Akamba argues that his arrest and prosecution violate constitutional protections, a matter now before the Constitutional Court.
The case has been adjourned until February 5, 2026, a date requested by Akamba’s lawyer, Sydney Odong, who cited the upcoming general elections as a complicating factor. “Owing to what is going on,” Odong told the court, urging that the hearing be held after the elections.
Ssali, who was suspended from her position during the investigation, is among several high-profile figures accused of abusing public trust. Prosecutors welcomed the court’s summons, with Mugisa telling reporters outside the courthouse, “No one is above the law.” Ssali’s representatives declined to comment, although her legal team has previously dismissed the charges as politically motivated.
Anti-corruption activists, including members of the Anti-Corruption Coalition Uganda, have renewed calls for expedited trials and asset freezes to help recover the allegedly stolen funds.
Cooperatives in Uganda have experienced significant financial losses due to mismanagement, Cooperatives in Uganda have experienced significant financial losses due to mismanagement, fraud, and irregular payments, particularly related to compensation for war losses. Key issues include overpayments to unions not on approved lists, lack of proper verification for claims, and internal fraud, leading to billions of Shillings lost and some unions facing collapse.
Background
Government took a decision to revamp the cooperatives through compensation for losses incurred during the liberation wars of 1978-79 and 1980-86. An inter-ministerial committee was put in place to verify the claims received from the cooperatives for compensation. The initial compensations were made by the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. Later on MTIC was tasked with the the responsibilities of settling the war compensation claims from the various cooperative unions and cooperative societies as approved by Parliament.
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