Karamoja iron sheets: Nandutu granted bail, barred from leaving country

Karamoja Affairs state minister Agnes Nandutu has been released from prison on a Shs 10 million cash bail.

She was released by the Anti-Corruption court lady justice Jane Okuo Kajuga today Thursday on grounds of ill health and the presumption of innocence on the charge of dealing with suspect property, which she has since denied.

Nandutu was remanded to prison on May 3 following her arrest in connection to the Karamoja iron sheets scandal. The prosecution alleges that Nandutu dealt with 2,000 prepainted iron sheets gauge 28, well knowing that they were obtained as a result of the loss of public property, an offence under Section 10 of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2000. 

Nandutu’s lawyers, led by Charles Nandaah Wamukota, presented three sureties, including the former leader of opposition in parliament, James Nathan Nandala Mafabi, MP Gerald Nangoli, and Bududa district LC V chairperson Kamoti Milton Apolo Wasumbuyi. Nandutu also has a fixed place of abode within the jurisdiction of the court, a passport, a land title, and national and parliament identification cards.

However, prosecution requested that the court denies her bail, claiming that only Nandala Mafabi had demonstrated the financial capacity to compel Nandutu to return to trial and pay the monies involved in the case if she absconded from the trial. The prosecution also relied on an affidavit sworn by Emmanuel Benon Ayebare, a police detective, who described Nandutu as a flight risk. 

The court heard that when Nandutu was summoned by police, she abandoned her home, and all three known phone lines were switched off. Furthermore, a search at her home, farm, and known places of abode yielded no results. Nandutu’s official driver, corporal Patrick Kunya, revealed that he was last in touch with Nandutu on April 14 2023, the date she had been summoned to the police.

From that date, her official driver did not know her whereabouts until she was formally arrested on April 18. Police constable John Etuka’s verification established that Nandutu dismissed him after work on April 14, and he could not establish where she was. Muwaganya, the prosecutor, further submitted evidence to show that Nandutu went into hiding on April 17, 2023. 

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, then declared her a wanted person in a press conference but she surrendered herself to CID headquarters the next morning. Muwaganya submitted before the court that Nandutu’s farm guard in Nantabulilwa, private constable Ernest Wakabi, said she had not returned to her place of residence since April 14.

Prosecutors claimed that Nandutu’s previous conduct showed that she was a flight risk. Kajuga directed Nandutu, who appeared nervous and anxious during the court proceedings, to deposit her passport and two land titles, including one for her Mukono-based home as additional security in the court. She also directed Nandala to deposit the duplicate land title for his property in Namugongo in court. 

To prevent Nandutu from absconding during the trial, justice Kajuga also instructed her not to leave the country without permission from the court and to continue reporting as required. The trial has been adjourned until May 25 when it will commence.