The Anti-Corruption court in Kampala has issued criminal summons to former state minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu.

Nandutu is wanted to answer charges regarding receiving iron sheets that were meant for the vulnerable people of the Karamoja sub-region. Lady justice Jane Okuo Kajuga today Friday issued summons following a request by state attorney David Bisamunyu, who told the court that Nandutu was absent in court despite a medical report indicating that although she is sick, she can work.

In the previous session, the prosecution requested a medical examination report for Nandutu to be investigated. However, the prosecution came with a full medical report which indicated that the accused is indeed sick according to the records, but can be able to work.

The report from Nakasero Hospital also advises that Nandutu should avoid stressful issues. The prosecution told the court that since Nandutu was not in court today yet the report shows she can work despite the sickness, her absence in court was an act of defiance.

Kajuga was convinced that Nandutu ‘s lawyers had no justified reasons to warrant the accused not to appear in court today. She accordingly issued a criminal summons requiring Nandutu to appear on April 14, 2025, in the morning.

Nandutu is wanted by the court to start defending herself after she was found in late 2024 with a case to answer about charges of dealing with suspect property. Records before the court indicate that the prosecution presented evidence that Nandutu received 2,000 iron sheets, which was corroborated by the first prosecution witness.

Additionally, Nandutu took the police to her home, from where the said iron sheets were recovered. During the trial, several witnesses testified, including officers from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM). However, it became apparent that very few of them knew the origin of the iron sheets.

Justice Kajuga noted that Joshua Abaho, the personal assistant to the minister of Karamoja Affairs, Mary Gorreti Kitutu Kimono, was one of the witnesses who testified. As a result, the judge said that Abaho’s testimony was deemed more reliable due to his proximity to the minister and his involvement in the distribution of the iron sheets, and he is the one who knew the origin.

The court heard that Abaho revealed that he was instructed to give iron sheets to Nandutu, although he was not present at the meeting where the decision was made. The judge said the testimony contradicted the defense’s claims that Nandutu did not know about the iron sheets.

Other witnesses, including Godfrey Sseremba, the undersecretary from OPM, testified but did not provide clear information about the origin of the iron sheets. However, it was justice Kajuga’s finding that the prosecution argued that the fact that Nandutu attended the launch of the project for the distribution of the iron sheets, and knew that there was no requisition made for the iron sheets, and no reason for emergency distribution, was sufficient evidence to prove that she was not entitled to the 2000 iron sheets that she received.

The defense had argued that the state failed to prove the elements of the case, citing unreliable and contradictory evidence. They claimed that there was no commission of the offense and that Nandutu had no case to answer. However, the court found sufficient evidence to prove that Nandutu was not entitled to the iron sheets.

The court further noted that even if the iron sheets had not been recovered from Nandutu’s home, the evidence presented would still be sufficient to sustain a criminal charge against her. The judge dismissed the application seeking to acquit Nandutu and accordingly ordered her to start defending herself.

Nandutu faces charges of dealing in suspect property, with the prosecution alleging she privately dealt with government property, including 2000 pre-painted iron sheets, between June and July 2022.

Prosecution contends that Nandutu received the iron sheets acquired due to the loss of public property, an offence under Section 10 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009. The investigating officer, detective superintendent of police Winfred Nakatudde, who was among the state witnesses, testified a few months ago that they found 1,617 iron sheets from Nandutu’s farm in Mukono, but 383 pieces were missing.

“But 383 iron sheets were missing, but when we asked the farm manager, he said he did not know where the balance was because he did not count them,” Nakudde told the court.

At least three cabinet ministers were implicated in the iron sheets scandal including Minister for Economic Planning Amos Lugoloobi, whose case returns to court in May 2025, former minister Mary Gorreti Kitutu, whose trial was halted pending an appeal in which she is contesting the trial on torture allegations while she was in state custody and Nandutu.

The Inspectorate General claims that between February and June 2022, while serving as minister for Karamoja Affairs, Kitutu failed to conduct various peace-building activities in the Karamoja sub-region, resulting in a financial loss of Shs 1.5 billion to the government.

Nandutu now becomes the second person who had a case to answer about the iron sheets that were meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja. In 2024, Lugoloobi, was also found with a case to answer over similar charges. The case will resume on April 14.