The request was made on 30 July 2025, during his return to court, where he is accused of embezzling $19 million from a project aimed at constructing the Kisangani Prison in Tshopo Province during his tenure as Justice Minister.
At the 23 July hearing, Mutamba denied the embezzlement allegations, stating that the funds remain in the account of Zion Construction SARL, the company awarded the prison construction contract.
He said, 'As I stand before you, the $19 million in question remains in the bank. Justice Minister Constant Mutamba never took a single dollar. How does one embezzle money they never touched?'
Mutamba argued that the Kisangani Prison project was not solely under his authority, emphasising that other senior officials were involved in key decisions. He therefore requested the court to summon Prime Minister Judith Suminwa, former Justice Minister Rose Mutombo, Inspector General of Finance Jules Alingete, the Minister of Sports, the Minister of Infrastructure and Public Works, and the Executive Secretary of the National Financial Intelligence Committee (CENALEF) to provide testimony.
He further accused Prime Minister Suminwa and the Prosecutor General at the Court of Cassation, Firmin Mvonde, of attempting to eliminate him to conceal their own misconduct.
The Office of the Prosecutor expressed its willingness to summon other individuals from the Ministry of Justice, officials from the FRIVAO Fund (established to manage reparations for victims of crimes committed by Ugandan forces in Kisangani), and those involved in transferring the funds to Zion Construction, so they may offer their accounts in court.
The prosecution maintains that the $19 million was transferred to Zion Construction's account in violation of the law, and that Mutamba played a key role as the official responsible for overseeing the prison construction project.
While Mutamba previously told Parliament that the funds had been misdirected to a fictitious company, an error for which he apologised, he later revised his position in court, stating that the funds were lawfully transferred to Zion Construction through approved procedures.
The next court hearing is scheduled for August 4, 2025. Should the court deem it necessary, the Prime Minister and other officials named by Mutamba may be summoned to testify.
IGIHE
