The court also ruled that Mutamba is ineligible to run for office or vote for the next five years. He has been ordered to repay nearly 20 million US dollars allegedly diverted during his tenure. The funds had originally been allocated for the construction of a new prison in Kisangani.
Court ruling and charges
Mutamba was accused of withdrawing the money from the Reparations and Compensation Fund for Victims of Uganda's Illicit Activities in the DRC (Frivao). Prosecutors said he transferred the funds in April to an account under the name of Zion Construction, a company allegedly selected without following proper public procurement procedures.
According to the prosecution, the move amounted to embezzlement and was intended to enrich the company fraudulently. The court, while handing down a lighter sentence than the maximum ten years sought, ruled that Mutamba's actions breached procurement rules and undermined state funds.
A lawyer by profession, Mutamba consistently denied the charges. He insisted that the money remained intact and that no diversion had taken place. His defence team argued for his acquittal, maintaining that the case was politically motivated.
On the day of sentencing, Mutamba appeared in court in a tracksuit, sandals, and a surgical mask. He had been escorted from his home, where he was under house arrest, by security forces. Relations between him and Prosecutor General Firmin Mvonde, who oversaw the case, were reportedly tense throughout the proceedings.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
