The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has issued criminal summons for former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu, who is wanted to face charges related to the alleged receipt of iron sheets intended for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja sub-region.
Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga issued the summons on Friday following a request by State Attorney David Bisamunyu, who informed the court that Nandutu was absent despite a medical report indicating she was unwell but fit to work. The prosecution had previously sought a medical examination report, which confirmed Nandutu’s illness but stated she was capable of attending court. The report from Nakasero Hospital advised Nandutu to avoid stress.
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Prosecutors argued that her absence from court, despite the medical report, was a deliberate act of defiance. Convinced that her legal team had no valid reason for her absence, Justice Kajuga ordered Nandutu to appear in court on April 14, 2025.
Nandutu is required to defend herself after being found with a case to answer in late 2024 for charges related to dealing in suspect property. The prosecution presented evidence that she received 2,000 iron sheets, with the first witness confirming this claim. Nandutu also led police to her residence, where the iron sheets were recovered.
During the trial, several witnesses, including officers from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), testified. However, many were unaware of the iron sheets’ origin. Key testimony came from Joshua Abaho, personal assistant to Minister for Karamoja Affairs Mary Gorreti Kitutu Kimono. Abaho’s testimony was deemed credible due to his close involvement in the iron sheet distribution. He stated he was instructed to give the iron sheets to Nandutu, though he wasn’t present at the decision-making meeting.
Justice Kajuga noted inconsistencies in the defense’s claims, finding that Nandutu attended the project’s launch and knew no requisition had been made for the iron sheets. The judge concluded that Nandutu was not entitled to the 2,000 iron sheets she received.
Despite arguments from the defense citing unreliable and contradictory evidence, the court found sufficient grounds to proceed with the case. The judge ruled that even without recovering the iron sheets from Nandutu’s residence, the evidence was strong enough to sustain a criminal charge.
Nandutu faces charges of dealing in suspect property, with allegations that she privately handled government property, including 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets, between June and July 2022. The prosecution claims she acquired the iron sheets following the loss of public property, an offense under Section 10(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.
Detective Superintendent of Police Winfred Nakatudde, a state witness, testified that 1,617 iron sheets were recovered from Nandutu’s farm in Mukono, but 383 were unaccounted for. The farm manager claimed ignorance about the missing pieces.
The iron sheets scandal has implicated at least three cabinet ministers. Minister for Economic Planning Amos Lugoloobi faces charges in a case returning to court in May 2025. Former Minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu’s trial was halted pending an appeal over allegations of torture during state custody.
The Inspectorate General alleges that between February and June 2022, Kitutu failed to carry out peace-building activities in Karamoja, resulting in a Shs 1.5 billion financial loss.
Nandutu now becomes the second official to face charges over the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, following Lugoloobi, who was also found with a case to answer in 2024. The case resumes on April 14.
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