Herbert Kabafunzaki, the ‘former’ State minister for Labour, Employment and Industrial Relations, has been committed to the High Court for trial after the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) told court it had finished investigations and gathered enough evidence.

The chief magistrate of the Anti Corruption Court, Agnes Alum, committed Kabafunzaki’s and his co-accused – his Political Assistant Brian Mugabo and a one Bruce Lubowa – to face bribery allegations.

The trio is accused of reportedly soliciting a Shs 5m bribe from Muhammad Ahamad of Aya Group of Companies to influence his exoneration from a sexual abuse case filed by one of the tycoon’s female employees.

The DPP accuses Kabafunzaki of two counts of corruption contrary to Section 2 and 26 of the Anti-Corruption Act (ACA) 2009, for directly soliciting a bribe .

The minister and Lubowa are also jointly charged with conspiracy to commit a felony contrary to Section 390 of Uganda’s Penal Code Act (PCA).

If convicted the Rukiga County MP could cool his heels in prison for 10 years in jail or be fined Shs 4.8m or both.

Court has the discretion under Section 46 of ACA to bar a publish officer from holding public office for 10 years.