Ex-Minister Nandutu Jailed 4 Years In Iron Sheets Scandal, Barred From Public Office
Former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu, has been sentenced to four years in prison in a landmark ruling that lays bare Uganda’s enduring struggle with high-level corruption.
In a decision delivered by the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala, Nandutu was also barred from holding public office for 10 years — one of the most consequential punishments to emerge from the infamous Karamoja iron sheets scandal.
The court, presided over by Justice Jane Kajuga, found that Nandutu unlawfully received and retained 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja sub-region.
The iron sheets were part of a government programme under the Office of the Prime Minister intended to support disadvantaged households during Karamoja’s disarmament and recovery efforts. Instead, investigations revealed that the materials were diverted to politically connected individuals, sparking nationwide outrage.
Court records indicate that between June and July 2022, Nandutu received the iron sheets from government stores in Namanve and transported them to her private farm in Mukono District. The court ruled that, given her senior position, she “knew or ought to have known” that the materials were irregularly obtained.
In her defence, Nandutu claimed the iron sheets were meant for disaster relief in Bududa District. However, the court dismissed the argument, citing lack of documentation and no confirmation from local authorities.
Moments before sentencing, Nandutu apologized to the government and the country, pleading for a non-custodial sentence on grounds of ill health and family responsibilities. She told court she is a single mother supporting multiple dependants, including her elderly mother and school-going children.
Prosecution had pushed for a tougher sentence, arguing that the offence constituted a gross abuse of public trust and involved resources meant for some of Uganda’s most vulnerable citizens.
The ruling brings to a close a protracted legal battle that has come to symbolize systemic abuse of office within government ranks. The wider Karamoja iron sheets saga implicated several senior officials, though many cases stalled or never made it to full prosecution.
Nandutu’s conviction now sets a rare precedent — signalling that accountability, at least in this instance, has been pursued to its conclusion.
But the judgment also reopens debate about selective justice in Uganda’s anti-corruption fight, where scandals often generate political heat but rarely translate into convictions.
For observers, the bigger question remains whether this marks a genuine shift — or simply an isolated case in a system long accused of protecting the powerful.
As Nandutu begins her four-year sentence, the message from court is unmistakable: abuse of public office carries consequences — even if enforcement remains uneven.
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