The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, has convicted former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu over diverting 2,000 iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja.
On Wednesday, Hon. Lady Justice Jane Okuo, convicted Nandutu after court found that she knowingly received and retained government property diverted from a public program.
Court found that between June and July 2022, Nandutu dealt with government property consisting of 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets of gauge 28 marked “Office of the Prime Minister”.
She received and retained the said iron sheets at the Office of the Prime Minister stores in Namanve and later at her residence in Mukono District, in circumstances where she had reason to believe that the property had been irregularly obtained as a result of loss of public property.
During the hearing, prosecution led by Chief State Attorney Mr. David Bisamunyu and Senior State Attorney Ms. Innocent Aleto, alleged and court found that at the time, the Ministry for Karamoja Affairs where she was the state minister was implementing a government programme funded under a supplementary budget of approximately UGX 39.94 billion for the 2021/2022 financial year.
The programme was intended to support disarmament and community empowerment in the Karamoja Sub-region by distributing relief items, including iron sheets, to vulnerable groups.
In execution of this programme, the OPM procured a total of 95,044 pre-painted iron sheets which were delivered to and stored at the OPM stores in Namanve for official distribution.
In June 2022, a requisition for 10,000 iron sheets was made to facilitate the presidential launch of the distribution exercise in Moroto District on June 13th 2022 which Hon Nandutu attended.
Although the requisition was approved, only 1,000 iron sheets were issued, leaving a balance of 9,000 iron sheets in the stores.
Prosecution evidence during trial showed that shortly thereafter, the Minister for Karamoja Affairs informed Hon. Nandutu that 2,000 iron sheets had been allocated to her from the remaining stock, purportedly for landslide victims, which Hon. Nandutu accepted and facilitated the collection of the iron sheets.
On 23 June 2022, she provided funds for transportation and instructed her political assistant to collect the 2,000 iron sheets from the OPM stores.
The iron sheets were first transported to a private residence in Wakiso District, where Hon. Nandutu personally verified their quantity and were thereafter subsequently transferred, on her instructions, to her residence in Seeta, Mukono District, where they were received and stored under her authority.
During investigations in March 2023, Hon. Nandutu recorded a statement with the police confirming these events and led investigators to her farm, during which a search was conducted by the Evidence Response Team leading to a recovery of 1,617 iron sheets from the premises.
Nandutu however failed to account for the remaining 383 iron sheets.
On the basis of this evidence, the court found that Hon. Nandutu knowingly received and retained government property that was not lawfully allocated to her and which she had reason to believe had been irregularly diverted from a public programme intended for vulnerable beneficiaries.
Hon. Lady Justice Jane Okuo on Wednesday convicted Nandutu of dealing with suspect property contrary to section 21A(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act.
The court cancelled Hon. Nandutu’s bail and remanded her to Luzira Prison to await sentencing this Friday 10th April 2026.
