Fight Against or For Corruption: UNF President Kityo Sarah Denied Bail , Remanded to Luzira on Issues of Accountability

Last updated Nov 30, 2023

The Uganda Netball Federation president, Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah has been denied Bail from Anti Corruption Court in Kampala and remanded to Luzira Prison till Friday, 1st December 2023.

The UNF battling president Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah was arrested yesterday (Wednesday) from her home in Maya, Mpigi district and taken to CID headquarters in Kibuli- Kampala, lack of accountability charges were opened against her and slept in cells of Kira Rd Police Station.

On Thursday, 30th, November, the workaholic president was presented before the court in Kampala and His Worship Opit Christopher read her the case [lack of accountability for 186m] to which she pleaded not guilty.

Through her lawyers, Luzige Joseph and Joshua Byamazima pleaded to the court to grant Babirye a bail but the state attorney Ms. Gloria Nzikuru objected the application of the defendant claiming that she needs time to go through the documents of the Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah’s sureties to which His Worship Opit Christopher concurred with.

His Worship adjourned the court till tomorrow Friday 1st December 2023.

“Basically what happened, we presented our client diligently and court in it’s wisdom decided because the learned state attorney she said she wants to verify some information about the sureties we have presented today in court, so some of those documents need to be verified, I think it’s her right and they are going to be verified because we do know that they do check out and the moment they do check out, then the bail maybe granted tomorrow.” Said Hon. Babirye Kityo Sarah Lawyer, Joshua Byamazima.

“They’re now panicking, they’re looking at all ways to cover up their dirty, they told me to account for 425m and now they are asking for 186m, but I’m still strong, they will die in their own movie.”- Kityo before heading to anti corruption Court!

Babirye and National council of Sports have been on loggerheads on the accountability issues especially that of the two international engagements for She Cranes in 2021. The Pent Series and the Africa Netball championship.

Prior to this case, NCS accused Babirye and her executive of not having the accountability of the 425m they received however, Babirye asserted that she accounted for the 186m shillings she received not the 425m, the Council is asking for.

With that accountability series of accusing each other between NCS and Babirye, on many occasions, Babirye accused NCS general secretary of asking her the kickback to which she refused to do, Babirye also asserted that they are witch hunting her because she refused to din with them.

Some of the documents NCS wrote to UNF about the accountability queries.

All along the two parties have been in fights and this forced Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni to ask Babirye to step aside for three months to allow smooth investigations into the matters but unfortunately until now since April 2023, the report has never been revealed.

In that period, UNF certificate of operation has been revoked and the national netball team failed to take part in the 2023 Netball championship underway in Botswana.