The two Finance ministry officials who were arrested for allegedly receiving a bribe of $333,200 (about Shs1.1b) from Guagzhou Dongsongh Energy Group(U)LTD have on Thursday been granted bail by Anti-corruption Chief Magistrate Agness Alum.
Mr John Charles Ogol, the principal finance officer and Mr Geoffrey Turyamuhika alias Tumwine, a senior economist in the Finance ministry, late last month allegedly caught red-handed committing the crime walked to freedom after paying an 8 million shillings cash bail.
They have also been ordered to also deposit their passports with court and keep away from the ministry but are expected to report back to court on May 22nd 2017.
The suspects were reportedly arrested on the orders of President Museveni, who later said he had received numerous complaints from investors about corruption in the ministry of Finance, which he described as a den of thieves.
The charges
Principal State Attorney Jane Francis Abodo told court that in one count, the two on January 30, at the Ministry of Finance in Kampala, being public officials in their respective positions, jointly solicited gratification worth $300,000 from a one Hassan Sserunjogi.
The alleged money, which allegedly was handed over to the suspects as part of a trap, is said to have been in exchange for expediting documentation concerning the financing and construction of a power sub-station and transmission line for the Guagzhou Dongsough Energy (U) Ltd, who were undertaking the Osukuru Phosphate Project in Tororo District.
Mr Ogol is separately charged with soliciting another $16,600 on March 27, the day of their arrest, from the same person. Mr Turyamuhika is also separately charged with soliciting the same amount from Mr Sserunjogi for alleged similar purposes.
