Matthew Bagonza, the head of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Export and Industrial Development (PACEID) Secretariat, has been remanded to Luzira Prison after appearing before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala over allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.
Bagonza appeared in court amid public attention, with PACEID chairperson Odrek Rwabwogo and his wife, Bishop Patience Rwabwogo, President Yoweri Museveni’s daughter, attending the proceedings.Prosecution alleges that between September 2023 and August 2026, Bagonza transferred about Shs171 million from a PACEID-linked account at Housing Finance Bank to his personal account.
The State further alleges that the transactions were intended to conceal the alleged illegal origin of the funds.Bagonza also faces allegations of abuse of office, with prosecutors claiming he was involved in creating a private entity whose objectives were similar to those of PACEID.
During the proceedings, Bagonza did not take a plea after his lawyers challenged the court’s jurisdiction to handle the charges at that stage. The court subsequently ordered that he be remanded to Luzira Prison as investigations continue.The presence of Odrek and Patience Rwabwogo attracted attention because of their leadership and association with PACEID.
However, their attendance did not prevent the court from ordering Bagonza’s detention.Bagonza remains presumed innocent until proven guilty. The prosecution will be required to present evidence to support the allegations, while his defence team will have an opportunity to challenge the case through the judicial process.
