The probing of Judiciary officials by the Public Accounts Committee in relation to the 2017/2018 audit has exposed more rot at the institution that is meant to be the epitome of good governance in the country.
Afyer failing to show up yesterday, Kagole Kivumbi (in featured photo), Secretary to Judiciary today attended the meeting in person and exposed the rot at the institution.
Judiciary officials were quizzed on the destiny of the Shs14Bn bail money paid out by suspects in court.
This was after the Judiciary submitted records indicating that Shs5.3Bn was collected in bail in the 2017/201, but the financial statements showed that only Shs1.3Bn was declared to the consolidated fund.
But matters got out of hand when a spot check on the statements indicated that in high court alone, the collections from bail amounted to Shs14bn.
Kivumbi admitted that the institution is stuck with bail money because many Ugandans are clueless on the fact that they are entitled to the money.
This was after a number of MPs tasked the Judiciary to explain the whereabouts of the bail money.
“I have never gotten my bail money in Mbale in election of 2006 and I have gone there many times,” PAC Chairman, Nandala Mafabi said.
In response, Kagole said that there is need for sensitization among masses on their rights to claim for bail money after the court process.
“Others don’t know that they can get money after the court process. When people leave court, others don’t want to know anything about court and for one to get that money, they must produce the receipt but by the time the court process is completed many of them don’t find it,” said Kagole.
He said that when it comes to Judiciary, the people claiming bail money aren’t paid cash but through accounts.
“We don’t refund cash, but pay [through] accounts but it needs sensitization; people are entitled to that money; there are those who are convicted and even don’t know that the money they paid in bail is their money. I am stuck with that money in the Bank of Uganda and it is over Shs24bn on average, but the money for the bail there must be an order from court. Without that, I can’t pay,” he said.
The MPs tasked the Judiciary to produce a list of all money collected in bail and how much has been paid out from the past five years, with MPs asking to have the rules relaxed to have respective courts issue demand note to the Secretary to Judiciary when cases are disposed of.
