KAMPALA- The Anti-Corruption Court has granted a 20million shillings cash bail to the jailed Former President of the Uganda Law Society and Senior Lawyer John Matovu after spending four days in Luzira Prison .
Matovu was on Monday this week charged with theft by agent and Conspiracy to defraud government of 4billion shilling funds meant to compensate Busoga Growers Cooperative Union as war loss victims.
Grade One Magistrate Abert Asiimwe has allowed Matovu’s application for bail on grounds of substantial sureties that he presented .
Magistrate Asiimwe has also ordered Matovu to surrender his passport to court; not to leave the country without permission , to desist from the temptation of interfering with Prosecution witnesses and for his sureties to each sign a non- cash bond of 50million shillings not cash.
The lawyer has been further warned that failure to comply with any of the conditions will lead to an automatic cancellation of his bail.
Before taking leave of the matter, Magistrate Asiimwe has further asked the ears of another wanted lawyer Fred Makada to give him a phone call in USA-California where he is currently nursing a blood clot; that he is not an exception because there is no way how the matter against him will be resolved without him coming to Court;
It is against this background that the Magistrate has given Makada an ultimatum to appear in court on 2nd/September/2024; and ordered his Lawyer Brian Sserunjogi to arrange for his flight and safe landing back to Uganda to answer for his crime that day 2nd/September/2024 or wait to be arrested by the International Police .
It is stated that Fred Makada, an Advocate with Makada and Makada Advocates being entrusted as an Advocate for Busoga Growers Cooperative Union to pursue war loss compensation from the government; stole 1.2 billion shillings funds meant for war loss compensation to Busoga growers Cooperative Union.
While his co-accused John Matovu, still an Advocate with M/S Matovu and Matovu Advocates; being entrusted as Advocate for Busoga Growers Cooperative Union to pursue war loss compensation claim from the government, stole 4.5 billion shillings .
John Matovu is further accused jointly with the District Commercial Officer of Jinja District Local Government, Muganza James and the Chairperson of Busoga Growers Cooperatives Union- Basoga Charles for their role in conspiring to defraud government of the 4billion shillings meant to compensate Busoga Growers Cooperative Union as war victims.
But Matovu, Muganza and Basoga have since denied the charges and are now out on bail. The accused persons allegedly committed the offences in Kampala and Jinja Districts between 2018 and 2023.
John Matovu returns to Court on 2nd/September to argue his application seeking to block his prosecution on grounds that the charges against him are malicious and only intended to tarnish his name he has worked for; for the last 33years.
