Justice Ministry and ODPP Put on the Spot Over Unauthorised Shs41 Billion Diversion

The Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (Central Government) has strongly criticized the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs alongside the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) for redirecting Shs41.6 billion toward unapproved activities. According to the committee, this substantial expenditure occurred without securing mandatory authorisation from the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.

While presenting the findings during a plenary sitting chaired by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa, committee chairperson Hon. Patrick Nsamba highlighted that the spending directly violated the Public Finance Management Act. The ODPP reportedly spent Shs900 million on building Resident State Attorney offices in Katakwi and Yumbe outside its approved scope, while the justice ministry diverted a staggering Shs40.7 billion, largely toward court awards and compensation.

Lawmakers emphasized that possessing savings on a specific budget line does not grant legal authority to fund alternative projects outside parliamentary appropriation. Beyond the financial diversions, the committee raised serious concerns regarding institutional operational challenges. The ODPP is currently grappling with severe understaffing, having filled only 600 out of 1,704 approved positions, leaving a heavy caseload for active prosecutors.

Additional scrutiny targeted technological investments, notably the malfunctioning Prosecution Case Management Information System (PROCAMIS). Despite consuming Shs42 billion since 2017, the system remains largely ineffective. The committee noted that millions were paid to service providers without delivering critical integrations or disaster recovery facilities.

The committee has since recommended enforcing strict contract liability clauses, recovering misused funds, and implementing a comprehensive litigation management strategy to handle government contingent liabilities exceeding Shs3.4 trillion. Read more details on the Parliament of Uganda.