Security Experts Criticize Anita Among Probe's Procedural Flaws

Weeks after security agencies initiated a high-profile money-laundering investigation into former Speaker of Parliament Annet Anita Among, seasoned security experts are pointing out critical procedural missteps. These experts suggest that fundamental errors made during the investigation could fatally undermine the case, potentially opening the Ugandan government to substantial legal challenges.

The core of the criticism lies in the alleged premature seizure of assets. According to former investigators and private investigators specializing in financial crimes, investigators may have violated established procedures by confiscating luxury vehicles, including a Rolls-Royce, before securing court orders to restrain them. Crucially, this occurred before any conviction linked the property to the proceeds of crime.

This approach, experts warn, risks rendering key evidence inadmissible and could leave the state liable for compensation if Among or her associates successfully sue for rights violations. The investigation, which began on May 16, 2026, has seen properties linked to Among searched and assets seized.

Retired detectives highlight that money laundering investigations are typically derivative, meaning they must first establish a predicate offense like theft or fraud. The legally accepted sequence, they explain, involves asset tracing, obtaining court orders to freeze assets, prosecution, and then asset recovery post-conviction. The current investigation appears to have reversed this order, starting with confiscation.

Furthermore, questions have been raised about the storage of seized vehicles. Experts argue that the police facility where the vehicles are kept lacks the specialized technical capacity to maintain or properly assess high-value assets. They suggest that such assets should be held by an independent institution equipped to preserve them.

Private investigator Fred Egesa echoed these concerns, describing the investigation as hurried and poorly planned, especially given the political profile of the subject. He suggested a more strategic approach, starting with officials directly responsible for parliamentary funds, rather than targeting the suspected beneficiary first. While seven parliamentary officials have since been arrested and charged in relation to financial mismanagement, the experts maintain that the investigation into Among herself may be compromised by its initial flawed execution.

These procedural weaknesses, they believe, could be contributing to the repeated postponements of Among’s court appearances as investigators attempt to rectify gaps in the case. The experts caution that if these shortcomings are not addressed, the prosecution risks presenting a weak case, potentially damaging the credibility of state institutions.

This report is based on information from The Observer (Uganda).