The Anti-Corruption Court has found former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu, guilty over the illegal possession of government iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja sub-region.
In its ruling, the court determined that Nandutu knowingly accepted and kept 2,000 iron sheets that were not officially allocated to her, despite clear indications they had been diverted from a public relief programme.
Following the conviction, her bail was cancelled and she was immediately remanded to Luzira Prison. She is expected to return to court on Friday, April 10, for sentencing.
The case stems from a government programme under the Office of the Prime Minister, which was designed to support disarmament efforts and assist vulnerable communities in Karamoja. The initiative, funded with about Shs39.94 billion in the 2021/2022 financial year, included the distribution of relief items such as iron sheets.
Court heard that over 95,000 iron sheets were procured and stored at government facilities in Namanve for official use. In June 2022, 10,000 sheets were requested for a presidential launch in Moroto, but only 1,000 were actually issued, leaving thousands unaccounted for.
Shortly after attending the launch on June 13, Nandutu was reportedly informed that 2,000 iron sheets had been set aside for her, allegedly for landslide victims. The court found that she accepted the allocation without verifying its legitimacy.
Evidence presented showed that on June 23, she facilitated the collection of the iron sheets by providing transport funds and directing her aide to pick them from the Namanve store. The materials were first taken to a private home in Wakiso District, where she inspected them, before being moved to her residence in Seeta, Mukono District, where they were kept under her control.
