Former State Minister Agnes Nandutu says she was not involved in...
Former State Minister Agnes Nandutu says she was not involved in ordering or distributing the 2,000 iron sheets at the centre of the Karamoja relief controversy, and has signalled that other officials should explain how the materials were handled.
Appearing before the Anti-Corruption Court, Nandutu completed her unsworn defence on Monday, denying any part in the procurement or distribution chain that led to the contested iron sheets ending up outside intended beneficiary lists.
In her account, Nandutu maintained that the materials were intended to assist victims of landslides in her native Bududa district and insisted she lacked access to the Office of the Prime Minister’s stores or authority to redirect stock. She named several senior colleagues she says are better placed to explain the logistics and decisions that followed the purchase.
Nandutu’s position: that responsibility for the movement and allocation of the iron sheets rests with other officials, not with her office.
The ex-minister indicated she will call more than five witnesses to corroborate her version. The court has ordered that the witness testimonies begin on Friday of this week.
Prosecutors allege that iron sheets procured under the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme were diverted from their intended recipients and found their way to private individuals, including some members of government. The matter has attracted sustained public scrutiny and multiple adjournments, with Nandutu previously citing health and bereavement as reasons for delays in her appearance.
Court proceedings are ongoing. We will update this item as new testimony is recorded and when the witness phase advances.
