JUST THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLE: How Buyaka Cooperative’s Billions Landed Geraldine Ssali in Hot Soup

Geraldine Ssali Busuulwa, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (MTIC), has been charged over her role in the cooperatives scandal, with compensation issues for Buyaka Cooperative Society Limited being the reason she goes to Luzira Prison on remand. But if a report by a parliamentary committee is anything to go by, this could just be the beginning of troubles for Geraldine Ssali.

The state has committed Ssali to the High Court for trial. She faces charges of abuse of office, causing financial loss and conspiracy to defraud. Also committed to the High Court for trial are her co-accused: three MPs – Michael Mawanda of Igara East, Ignatius Mudimi Wamakuyu of Elgon County and Paul Akamba representing the people of Busiki County; Leonard Kavundira, the principal cooperative officer at the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Cooperatives; and lawyer Julius Kirya Taitankoko.

These appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on July 19. Prosecution alleges that PS Ssali abused her office when she included Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Ltd on the list of cooperative societies that should be compensated for losses incurred during war time. This abuse of office, prosecution averred, happened in the 2021-2022 financial year while Ssali held the position of Permanent Secretary – accounting officer – of the trade ministry.

Parliament approved a supplementary budget request to help compensate the cooperatives in August 2021. But Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited had not been on the list of cooperatives that were supposed to benefit from the request for these additional funds meant for compensation.

Prosecution also accused PS Ssali of causing financial loss to government, saying she paid Kirya and Co. Advocates Shs3.8bn, which money was supposed to go to Buyaka Growers Cooperatives Society Limited. Again, this happened during the 2021-2022 financial year when Ssali was Permanent Secretary – accounting officer – of the trade ministry.

Prosecution also alleged that Ssali, between 2019 and 2023, conspired with MPs Mawanda, Wamakuyu, Akamba, Kirya and Kavundira to defraud government of over Shs3.4bn, the money that was supposed to go to Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited as war loss compensation.

After spending the night of July 18 in a police cell, PS Ssali will start her remand time on July 19. But her co-accused have spent weeks in Luzira on remand. Prosecution announced new alternative charges against them.

The state slapped a charge of abuse of office against Kavundira while Counsel Kirya now faces new charges of money laundering and stealing by an agent. MPs Mawanda and Wamakuyu face a new charge of receiving stolen property.

PS Ssali’s co-accused might have come to court hoping to be lucky with their bail application but the new charges point to how long and protracted the cooperatives compensation scandal might get. Mwine Mpaka’s trade committee examined compensation for tens of cooperative societies, unearthing a lot of rot.

For example, The Pearl Times has reported in its MONEY TRAIL report detailing How Shs1bn Moved from Cooperative Bosses to Geraldine Ssali and Husband Victor Busuulwa via Centenary Bank Kabalagala. (See Details HERE).

(For advertising, sponsored content or story tips, send us a Whatsapp message on +256 705 690 819 or E-mail us on pearltimesug@gmail.com).