The Anti-Corruption Court has issued a warrant of arrest for Parliament Office Supervisor Stella Itute after she failed to appear in court to answer charges in the alleged Shs27 billion Parliament corruption scandal.
Grade One Magistrate Esther Asiimwe issued the warrant on Monday after prosecutors from the Inspectorate of Government (IG) told the court that Itute could not be traced despite repeated attempts to find her.
Brenda Kimbugwe, the IG’s Manager of Prosecutions, informed the court that all the other suspects had appeared, but Itute remained at large.
“We have made several efforts to locate her without success. We therefore pray for a warrant of arrest,” Kimbugwe submitted.
In response, Magistrate Asiimwe ordered all police officers across Uganda to arrest Itute wherever she is found and produce her before the Anti-Corruption Court on 10 August 2026, when the case will return for mention.
Although Itute is accused of embezzling Shs75 million—the smallest amount among the accused persons in the case—she is jointly charged with seven other Parliament officials over the alleged theft of more than Shs27.2 billion in public funds.
Investigators believe the money was diverted from funds meant for parliamentary donations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities. Prosecutors allege the accused used their positions within Parliament to access and unlawfully divert the money, causing a financial loss of Shs27.201 billion to the Government of Uganda.
Court records show that Itute’s co-accused include Director of Communications and Public Affairs Chris Obore Ariko, Director of Human Resource Daniel Adilo, Executive Secretary in the Office of the Speaker Leonard Okema, Principal Research Officer Rajab Kaaya Ssemalulu, Principal Protocol Officer Emmanuel Emuron Okwi, Capacity Development Officer Vincent Otebata, and Uganda Parliamentary Cooperative Savings and Credit Society (SACCO) Chief Executive Officer Methods Murebe.
According to the prosecution, Adilo allegedly embezzled Shs14.609 billion, Obore and Otebata Shs5.253 billion each, Okema Shs3.489 billion, Ssemalulu Shs2.170 billion, Emmanuel Emuron Okwi Shs1.105 billion, while Itute is accused of taking Shs75 million.
Prosecutors have also slapped Obore, Adilo, Okema, Ssemalulu, Otebata and Murebe with money laundering charges, alleging that between January 2023 and April 2026 they processed, approved and received Shs10.893 billion knowing it was the proceeds of crime.
Meanwhile, the Anti-Corruption Court was informed that the High Court will hear bail applications filed by the accused officials on 3 August 2026.
Defence lawyers requested the magistrate to issue production warrants to enable prison authorities to present the accused before the High Court. However, Magistrate Asiimwe declined, explaining that only the High Court can issue production warrants for proceedings before it.
The accused officials, who have been on remand since 2 July 2026, were returned to Luzira Prison, where they will remain until the case comes up again on 10 August as investigations continue.
