KAMPALA, UGANDA – The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has handed a four-year jail sentence to former Minister Agnes Nandutu for diverting Karamoja iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in the region.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The jail sentence was delivered by trial Judge Jane Okuo on Friday, April 10, 2026. Nandutu, who also serves as Bududa District Woman Member of Parliament, was barred from holding public office for ten years.
Between June and July 2022, the court heard that Nandutu received and retained 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets marked “Office of the Prime Minister,” knowing they had been irregularly obtained from a government programme.
The sheets were part of a Shs39.94 billion supplementary budget for the 2021/2022 financial year to support disarmament and community empowerment at Karachuna in Karamoja.
Evidence showed that of 95,044 sheets stored in Namanve, only 1,000 of the 10,000 requisitioned for a presidential launch were officially issued, leaving a significant surplus that was later diverted.
Earlier, Nandutu had been convicted of dealing with suspect property, contrary to Section 21A(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, following a prosecution by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).
While appearing in court, an emotional Nandutu begged for forgiveness from the people of Karamoja, the President, and her constituents, expressing remorse and asking the court for leniency as a first-time offender.
The MP, who previously served as State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, told the court that her health is deteriorating, explaining that she is frequently in and out of the hospital and is also a single mother.
“I would like to express my remorse to the people of Karamoja and the appointing authority. Please forgive me. I’m a first-time offender, and it’s on such grounds that I request this honorable court to show leniency to me. My health is also not okay; I’m still in and out of the hospital. I’m also a single mother,” Nandutu pleaded.
She further disclosed that she has lumps in her lungs that occasionally cause her to lose consciousness, and that she is the sole caregiver to her seven children and her 81-year-old mother.
The former minister prayed for a non-custodial sentence, arguing that she had already returned the iron sheets and paid cash for those that were missing.
Delivering the ruling, trial Judge Jane Okuo stated that aside from barring Nandutu from holding any public office for 10 years, she still has the right to appeal within 14 days.
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