The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has remanded seven employees of the Parliament of Uganda to Luzira Prison until July 7, 2026, over corruption-related charges including embezzlement, money laundering, and causing financial loss amounting to more than Shs27.2 billion.
The accused include Chris Obore Ariko, Director of Communications and Public Affairs; Daniel Adilo, Director of Human Resource; Leonard Okema, Executive Secretary in the Office of the Speaker; Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu, Principal Research Officer; Emmanuel Emuron Okwi, Principal Protocol Officer; Vincent Otebata, Capacity Development Officer—all serving under Parliament of Uganda—and Methods Murebe, Chief Executive Officer of the Parliamentary Cooperative Savings and Credit Society (SACCO). They are jointly charged alongside Stella Itute, Office Supervisor in the Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms, who has been charged in absentia.
The suspects appeared before Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe, who read out nine charges against them, including embezzlement, causing financial loss, and money laundering. However, the court did not take their pleas, with the magistrate noting that the Anti-Corruption Court lacks jurisdiction over money laundering offences, which fall under the High Court’s mandate.
The charges, sanctioned by Inspector General of Government Lady Justice Aisha Naluze Batala and filed by the Inspectorate of Government, relate to alleged offences committed between 2023 and May 2026.
According to the prosecution, Chris Obore is accused of embezzling Shs5.253 billion, while Daniel Adilo allegedly took Shs14.609 billion. Others include Okema (Shs3.489 billion), Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu (Shs2.170 billion), Emmanuel Emuron Okwi (Shs1.105 billion), Stella Itute (Shs75 million), and Vincent Otebata (Shs5.253 billion). The funds are said to have belonged to Parliament and were accessed through the accused persons’ official positions.
Prosecutors further allege that all the accused persons, except Methods Murebe, received funds allocated for Parliament’s donations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities but failed to account for or implement the intended programmes, resulting in a financial loss of Shs27.201 billion to government.
In addition, Obore, Adilo, Okema, Ssemalulu, Otebata, and Murebe face money laundering charges. The prosecution alleges that between January 2023 and April 2026, the group processed, approved, and received Shs10.893 billion, knowing or having reason to believe that the funds were proceeds of crime.
State Attorney Daisy Acio, representing the Office of the Inspector General of Government, requested an adjournment to allow the State to prepare committal papers before the accused are produced before the High Court to take plea on the money laundering charges.
The defence lawyers requested that the accused be furnished with copies of the charge sheet and sought a short adjournment to prepare their defence. They also asked the court to set an early return date to allow them to file bail applications.
Magistrate Asiimwe granted the prosecution’s request and remanded all the accused to Luzira Prison until July 7, 2026, as investigations continue.
The accused were arrested on Wednesday at the Inspectorate of Government offices after being summoned to record additional statements.
By Our Reporter
2nd July 2026
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