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The former youth member of parliament together with her co-accused businesswoman Zainab Namutebi are due to appear in court again on June 6.
Uganda Netball Federation president Sarah Babirye Kityo was granted bail on Wednesday, two days after being charged with defamation and obtaining money by false pretense.
Kityo, who was remanded in custody on Monday, attended the bail application that was heard at the Buganda Road Magistrate’s court in Kampala by Grade One Magistrate Siena Owomugisha.
The former youth member of parliament together with her co-accused businesswoman Zainab Namutebi is due to appear in court again on June 6.
Kityo presented her husband, also UNF markting officer Dan Ntale and her Sister in law Dorothy Lwanga a teacher at Kitebi Primary School as her sureties.
She was asked to pay a one million shillings cash bond, while her two sureties were each asked to pay a non-cash bond of four million shillings.
The charges relate to cases reported by two women identified as Sarah Wamala and Gloria Kikomeko, who reported to police that they had each paid eight million shillings to Kityo and her accomplice to facilitate their travel to the USA as part of the She Cranes contingent.
She was arrested on Monday, May 15 as she presented herself to police to provide a statement in her defense for a defamation case filed by NCS President Dr. Benard Patrick Ogwel.
However, Kityo was presented with the fresh charges for other offences which are said to have occurred in May 2022.
During their initial appearance before Grade One magistrate Siena Owomugisha, both Kityo and Namutebi pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Kityo stands firm in her innocence, refuting the charges brought against her, as the embattled president continues to face a challenging period in her leadership role within the national netball community.
While speaking to NBS Sport, Kityo dismissed the allegations as part of a wider conspiracy to undermine her credibility.
"I came to Police to record a statement over a case that Dr. Ogwel opened against me of defamation, where my executive members alleged, he had asked for a kickback," Kityo clarified.
“In that process, UGX 30 million meant for the male national team members went missing. So, when I came here, I found out that there was a case opened against me by other individuals.”
“In the case, they claim that we gained money by false pretence. But all these cases are not true, and this is a total witch hunt,” she stated.
“Because the people making these claims didn’t give me money, but deposited it with the fans association, and they wanted to travel with the team as fans.”
“It was a group, and some people secured visas and they travelled, these ones in particular were rejected. But they have twisted the whole story and claim otherwise.”
“But as a president, before I recommend you for travel, I must be sure that you are indeed going to watch the games and foot your bills, because we are not a travel agency.”
“Interestingly, everyone that got the visa was booked in for the games, and they were able to travel, so I don’t think we are liable if one fails to impress the embassy for a visa,” Kityo explained.
Kityo was earlier handed over to Police’s Criminal Investigations Department (CID) by Parliament over alleged mismanagement of funds and is also out of the office of the netball presidency for three months.
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