Agnes Nandutu Convicted and Remanded to Luzira in Iron Sheets Scandal

The Anti-Corruption Court has convicted the former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu, for her involvement in the high-profile iron sheets scandal. In a landmark judgment delivered today, April 8, 2026, Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga found the Bududa District Woman MP guilty of dealing with suspect property, bringing a years-long legal saga to a dramatic turning point.

Nandutu, who was immediately remanded to Luzira Prison, now awaits her formal sentencing. The court’s decision follows a recommendation from three court assessors last week, who unanimously advised that the prosecution had proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt.  

The conviction stems from the illegal acquisition of 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets originally intended as relief aid for the vulnerable communities of the Karamoja sub-region. Evidence presented during the trial revealed that the materials were recovered from Nandutu’s private farm in Mukono District.  

Throughout the proceedings, the prosecution maintained that Nandutu received the government property with full knowledge of its irregular procurement. Despite her defense team’s efforts to portray her as a “political newcomer” who was misled by senior officials, the judge ruled that her possession of the sheets constituted a clear breach of the Anti-Corruption Act.  

During her defense, Nandutu argued that she had been sidelined by her senior minister and lacked the necessary experience in government procedures to identify the illegality of the allocation. However, Justice Kajuga dismissed these claims, noting that as a state minister, she held a responsibility to ensure that relief supplies reached their intended beneficiaries.  

The court noted that the testimony of ten prosecution witnesses—including OPM records and forensic evidence—outweighed the testimony of the three defense witnesses. The judgment emphasized that even if the iron sheets were intended for landslide victims in Bududa, as Nandutu claimed, there was no documentary evidence of a lawful requisition process.  

Nandutu’s conviction marks a significant milestone in the government’s efforts to prosecute officials involved in the diversion of Karamoja relief items. She is the first high-ranking official to be convicted in this specific scandal, which initially implicated several ministers and high-level government figures.

As the former minister returns to Luzira—where she first spent time on remand in 2023—the public remains focused on the impending sentence. Legal experts suggest that this ruling sets a stern precedent for other pending cases related to the mismanagement of public resources.