On Tuesday May 5, 2026, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), through its Anti-Corruption Department (ACD), successfully convened a stakeholders’ engagement on corruption and corruption-related offences for the Fort Portal Region at Nyaika Hotel in Fort Portal. The engagement is part of the ODPP’s ongoing initiative to strengthen inter-agency collaboration in handling corruption cases.
It provided a platform for stakeholders to discuss key challenges encountered in enforcing anti-corruption strategies and to jointly develop homegrown solutions geared toward comprehensive and sustainable approaches to the successful investigation and prosecution of corruption cases. Through this forum, investigators and prosecutors discussed evidence-driven, coordinated, and institutionally supported measures to fight corruption and impunity.
The engagement brought together a diverse cross-section of law enforcement personnel and prosecutors from eight districts: Kabarole, Kyenjojo, Kyegegwa, Bunyangabo, Kamwenge, Bundibugyo, Ntoroko, Kitagwenda, and Fort Portal.
In her welcome remarks, Ms. Harriet Adubango, the Regional Officer, noted that the vice of corruption can infiltrate investigations, prosecutions, and all spheres of the criminal justice system, derailing justice. She encouraged discussion of anti-corruption techniques as a duty for all citizens and officers present, and as a way to ensure the vice is fought.
Ms. Agaba Abigail, Chief State Attorney/Deputy Head, Anti-Corruption Department, underscored the need to retrieve evidence in compliance with procedural requirements to ensure its admissibility. She explained how the ODPP handles these cases, emphasizing the need for continued coordination between prosecutors and investigators during investigation and prosecution.
Mr. Stanley Baine Moses, Chief State Attorney/Deputy Head, ACD, highlighted the ODPP’s distinct role in combating corruption and explained how it is carried out in accordance with the DPP’s mandate. He emphasized the ODPP’s commitment to coordination and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure the effective handling of corruption cases.
SSP Wabwire Joab, the Regional Police Commander (RPC) for Fort Portal, noted that corruption affects people at all levels of life and called for coordination among law enforcement agents, noting that no one can fight corruption single-handedly.
Captain Gilbert Winyi, the Resident Internal Security Officer (RISO) for the Fort Portal Region, while providing an overview of how intelligence supports efforts to combat corruption, emphasized the need for coordination and called for the expeditious handling of cases to prevent escalation into undesirable, avoidable situations. He reminded participants to always act with integrity and dedication while serving the public.
In her closing remarks, Ms. Josephine Namatovu, Assistant DPP/Head, ACD, appreciated the stakeholders for attending in large numbers and for their active participation in the engagement.
Joining previous speakers, she emphasized the need for continued coordination and collaboration in handling corruption cases. She reiterated the ODPP’s commitment to a collaborative approach to handling corruption, which she explained was the reason for the ODPP’s use of Prosecution-Guided Investigations and Case Management meetings, and the purpose of the engagement.
