A Ugandan court charged a minister on Thursday with several corruption offences connected to accusations of diverting metal roofing sheets meant to help residents in the restive northeastern Karamoja region, court documents showed.
Prosecution of ministers for corruption is rare in Uganda, where stealing and the misuse of public funds and materials is routine.
Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu was charged with several offences including "loss of public property" and "conspiracy to defraud," Kampala Anti-Corruption Court papers seen by Reuters showed. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges, the papers showed. After she was charged, Kitutu was remanded in custody and ordered to reappear in court on April 12.Police arrested three close relatives of Kitutu in February for selling metal roofing sheets branded with "Office of the Prime Minister," the government-owned New Vision newspaper reported.
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