Kampala, Uganda — Former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu has been sentenced to four years in prison by the Anti-Corruption Court after being convicted over the diversion of iron sheets intended for vulnerable communities in Karamoja.
The ruling was delivered following investigations led by the Anti-Corruption Unit State House in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Directorate and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which began in 2023.
Court found that Nandutu was responsible for the misappropriation of 2,000 iron sheets that were meant to support vulnerable households in the Karamoja sub-region. She has also been barred from holding public office for the next 10 years.
During proceedings, Nandutu broke down in court, pleading for leniency and insisting that she had been misled.
“I was misled into this offence. I am apologetic to the appointing authority, the people of Karamoja, and the entire country,” she told court while seeking a non-custodial sentence.
She further informed the court that she had returned and paid for the iron sheets, except for those that allegedly went missing while in police custody.
At the height of investigations, the Inspectorate of Government had implicated multiple senior officials, including ministers, Members of Parliament, and Chief Administrative Officers, in relation to the broader iron sheets scandal.
Prosecution had earlier pushed for a custodial sentence of at least five years, arguing that the offence involved abuse of public trust and diversion of government resources meant for disadvantaged communities.
The court ordered that Nandutu be remanded at Luzira Prison until Friday, when final sentencing considerations were completed.
The judgment marks one of the most high-profile convictions arising from the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, which has continued to draw public attention over accountability in government relief programs.
