By Kabuye Ronald
The Anti-Corruption Court, presided over by Jane Okuo, has convicted former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs and Bududa District Woman Member of Parliament, Agnes Nandutu, over the diversion of 2,000 iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja sub-region.
In its ruling, the court found that Nandutu knowingly received and retained government property that was not lawfully allocated to her and had reason to believe it had been irregularly diverted from a public programme intended to benefit vulnerable citizens.
Following the conviction, Nandutu’s bail was cancelled, and she was remanded to Luzira Prison until Friday this week, when she is scheduled to return to court for sentencing. The developments were reported by Juliet Kigongo.
The case was reinforced by the findings of three court assessors Rose Joanittah, Bob Nabende, and Sarah Namayanja, who, on April 1, 2026, advised the court that the prosecution had proved key elements of the offence. They concluded that Nandutu handled the iron sheets with knowledge of their irregular acquisition.
Court records indicate that between June and July 2022, Nandutu received and retained 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets of gauge 28 marked “Office of the Prime Minister.” Prosecutors demonstrated that she dealt with the materials despite having reason to believe they had been obtained through the loss of public property.
At the time, Nandutu was serving both as Bududa Woman MP and State Minister for Karamoja Affairs under the Office of the Prime Minister. The ministry was implementing a government programme worth approximately Shs39.94 billion during the 2021/2022 financial year, aimed at supporting disarmament and community empowerment in the Karamoja sub-region.
The programme involved procuring and distributing relief items, including 95,044 iron sheets stored at the Office of the Prime Minister’s facility in Namanve for onward distribution.
In June 2022, officials requisitioned 10,000 iron sheets to support a presidential launch event in Moroto District. Although the request was approved, only 1,000 sheets were issued, leaving a balance of 9,000 in storage. Nandutu attended the launch held on June 13, 2022.
Evidence presented in court revealed that shortly after the event, the then Minister for Karamoja Affairs informed Nandutu that 2,000 iron sheets had been allocated to her, reportedly for landslide victims. She accepted the allocation and facilitated their collection.
On June 23, 2022, Nandutu provided transport funds and instructed her political assistant to collect the iron sheets from the Namanve stores. The consignment was initially delivered to a private residence in Wakiso District, where she reportedly verified the quantity, before being transferred to her residence in Seeta, Mukono District, on her instructions.
