KARAMOJA IRON SHEETS SCANDAL

Live reporting & editing by Joseph Kizza
(Scroll down the page for earlier updates)
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3:12 pm  |   It's a wrap here!

That's all for today's text commentary. Will be back on Thursday, when finance state minister for planning Amos Lugoloobi is expected back in court to hear the verdict of his bail application.

Below are the charges against him, which he has pleaded not guilty to:

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3:10 pm  |   Lugoloobi supporters disgruntled

The minister's supporters, some of whom travelled all the way from Kayunga district to show solidarity with him, are unhappy with the court deciding to delay the delivery of the bail application verdict.

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3:05 pm  |   MINISTER LUGOLOOBI SENT TO JAIL

Minister Amos Lugoloobi is charged with two counts of dealing with government property, that is, a total of 700 pre-painted iron sheets marked 'Office of the Prime Minister' between July 14, 2022 and February 28, 2023.

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3:02 pm  |   LUGOLOOBI BAIL FATE FOR  APRIL 20

The Anti-Corruption Court has decided it will deliver its verdict on accused minister Amos Lugoloobi's bail application this Thursday (April 20) at noon and has remanded him to Luzira Prison until then.

Court says it will need more time to study the documents, especially those presented by the defence team.

 Court also says "the allegation of health is something that should not be taken lightly" and there directs the security personnel to notify the prisons authorities to take note of the minister's health status and that doctors should attend to him until when he is next produced in court.

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2:45 pm  |   Defence desires bail 'on favourable terms'

In their rejoinder, the defence legal team argue that surety James Kakooza, while he may be an EALA MP, remains a constituent of Uganda and therefore will still be able to ensure that the bail applicant appears in court when required.

The team also tell court that "there was no mention [by the state on five of their seven sureties presented] of their lack of substantiality", adding that "the five sureties are already too many".

They, therefore, wished that their client is granted bail "on favourable terms".
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2:36 pm  |   The charge sheet

Here is the charge sheet for this case involving finance state minister for planning Amos Lugoloobi over the iron sheets scandal.

He is charged with two counts of dealing with government property, that is, a total of 700 pre-painted iron sheets marked 'Office of the Prime Minister' between July 14, 2022 and February 28, 2023.

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2:25 pm  |   Prosecutors argue against bail application

The prosecution team are attempting to punch holes in the defence team's application for bail for their client.

One of their arguments is that one of the sureties presented — James Kakooza — may not sufficiently live up to the requirements of being a surety of the accused since he is based in Tanzania as a member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA).

They claim Kakooza may not be able to balance his duties.

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2:10 pm  |   Lugoloobi is 'hypertensive, suffering from diabetes'

In making a case for their client, the defence team provide a medical history of the accused (minister Amos Lugoloobi), based on his physicians and a Police doctor.

They present a report from the Uganda Heart Institute dated April 12, 2023 and authored by the institute's executive director, Dr. John Omangino.

The report says the accused is hypertensive, suffering from Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease and that he is fresh from a heart surgery, done on July 14, 2022 at Mulago.

"He is a capable patient. Any time he can be admitted by the Uganda Heart Institute."

The defence team make reference to another medical report, from the Aga Khan Hospital, which is dated April 14, 2023. The team emphasises the sections of the report that indicate that the accused has Type 2 diabetes, showing hypertension, and other medical conditions, and describe "a plethora of drugs that he has to take".

Lugoloobi's lawyers say that when the accused was arrested, he was "fresh from hospital" and that "he was driven with a package of over 20 drugs from his physician".

The team say that most of their client's medicine is from the heart surgery he had in 2022.

They also cite another medical report, from the Police doctor, indicating that he is a patient of hypertension, diabetes, asthma (diagnosed over 15 years ago and well controlled).
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1:56 pm  |   Defence team applies for bail — here are the sureties

Minister Amos Lugoloobi's lawyers are applying for bail on his instruction.

They have presented copies indicating his official occupation as a minister and Member of Parliament, as well as a photocopy of the accused's certificate of title (block 261 plot 730 in Makindye division).

The team has also presented the sureties:

▪️ Mariam Naigaga, 44, a resident of Kawuku village in Makindye division. She is the  woman reprsentative for Namutumba district in Parliament. She "has been a friend of the applicant for over ten years".

▪️ James Kakooza, 61, a resident of Kizungu in Makindye division. He is a member of the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and a former state minister for health.

▪️ Dr. Kefa Kiwanuka, 64, a resident of Kalungu C village, Ggaba Ward in Makindye division. He is the MP of Kiboga East in Kiboga district. He has been a friend to the applicant for over 10 years.

▪️ Charles Paul Mugambwa, 82, a very close friend of the applicant. He was his best man on December 4, 1990 at the accused's wedding. He is a resident of Kabawanga Zone, Buziga parish, Makindye. He is a former Ugandan ambassador  to Brazil. He is currently engaged in real estate business.

▪️ Martin Ssekajja, 39, a resident of Nazareth Zone, Kyanja parish in Nakawa division. He is the head of operations at Uganda Security Printing Company and a business associate of the applicant. 

▪️ Joseph Muvawala, the executive director of National Planning Authority. He is a resident of Namugongo and the prime minister of Busoga kingdom. He is a very close friend of the applicant.

▪️ Moses Karisa Kalangwa, aged 53. He is a senior businessman from Kayunga.

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1:24 pm  |   Defence team 'instructed to apply for bail'

The defence team tells the court that their client — finance state minister for planning Amos Lugoloobi — has instructed them to apply for bail on his behalf.
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1:22 pm  |   Minister Lugoloobi pleads not guilty to charges

Minister Amos Lugoloobi pleads not guilty to two counts of dealing with suspect property contrary to Section 21 (a) of the Anti-Corruption Act as amended.

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1:11 pm  |   Court session gets under way

The court proceeding begins inside a filled courtroom, with the prosecution team leading the introductory submissions.
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1:10 pm  |   Live on Urban TV

Follow the court proceedings live on the Urban TV Twitter page HERE.

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1:00 pm  |   LUGOLOOBI INSIDE COURTROOM

As we wait for the court session to get under way, just to remind you how far back this story has come . . .

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12:52 pm  |   LUGOLOOBI INSIDE COURTROOM

Finance state minister for planning Amos Lugoloobi has walked into a packed courtroom of the Anti-Corruption Court and settled inside the dock.

His defence legal team are also sat in.
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12:45 pm  

From the social media streets . . .

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12:28 pm  |   Museveni says to 'decide political action'

On February 13 this year, New Vision exclusively reported about the arrests of Karamoja affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu's relatives by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit after they were found selling Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) iron sheets.

More ministers were roped into the scandal, with over 15 of them recording statement.

Exactly two weeks ago (April 3), President Yoweri Museveni in his letter to Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, said ministers should return the iron sheets if they are still available or personally reimburse the value of the diverted sheets.

"There are two issues of wrongdoing involved," said Museveni.

"If somebody took mabaati (iron sheets) meant for the Karachuna and gave them to people or institutions in his or her constituency, this is political corruption. It is like bribing voters so as to get political favours.

"In the case of the mabaati, it is at the expense of the Karachuna, but also at the expense of the security of the country. Remember, this giving of iron sheets to Karachuna is part of removing them from causing insecurity," added the President.

Museveni termed the actions subversive.

"Under the National Resistance Movement code, cheap popularity is characterised as subversive.

"The ministers that were consciously involved must take personal responsibility, pay back the value of the mabaati they diverted and I will decide the political action to punish this mistake."

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11:43 am  |   MINISTER LUGOLOOBI ARRIVES AT COURT

As he stepped out of the vehicle at the entrance of the Anti-Corruption Court, minister Lugoloobi appeared calm.


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11:41 am  |   MINISTER LUGOLOOBI ARRIVES AT COURT

Finance state minister for planning Amos Lugoloobi has been brought at the Anti-Corruption Court by Police and is right away led to the court's holding section.

Later, he will be led into the courtroom.

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11:34 am  |   PICTURED FROM COURT  📸

The wait continues at the Anti-Corruption Court.

Kiboga East MP Kefa Kiwanuka (pictured below, second from right), is one of the people waiting at the court.

Kayunga district chairman Andrew Muwonge (left) and East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP James Kakooza are also at the Kololo-based court.

Supporters of minister Amos Lugoloobi have made an appearance at the court, with some wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the image of the minister in a show of solidarity.

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11:26 am  |   What happened last Friday

Hours before minister Lugoloobi was arrested last Friday, Karamoja affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu appeared at the Anti-Corruption Court to present a fresh set of sureties in the hope of being granted bail after a similar attempt hit a cul-de-sac two days prior over unsubstantial sureties.

Only one of the four sureties her legal team had initially presented to court was deemed substantial.

Kitutu, 61, who is also the Manafwa district Woman MP, is accused of diverting iron sheets meant for the people of Karamoja.

On her second appearance before Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro, Kitutu's lawyers proposed five new sureties, who were accepted by the court with no objection from the prosecution (state) team.

HERE is how that session unfolded, resulting in a victory for the defence team as they had their client — and her client — both granted bail on the day.

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10:55 am  |   Iron sheets: Police warns against sensational stories

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga is addressing a weekly security press briefing in Naguru, Kampala.

He advises the media against writing sensational stories on the ongoing iron sheets investigation and instead remain objective in the content published.
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10:28 am  |   Security ramped up at court

As you would expect, there is a heavy security presence at the Anti-Corruption Court, where minister Lugoloobi is expected anytime today. Police and Prisons officers are seen at the main entrance of the court.

New Vision's multimedia journalist Ivan Kabuye has captured the mood there in these early pictures:

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10:15 am  |   Three nights in detention

Sunday night was finance state minister for planning Amos Lugoloobi's third night spent at Kira Division Police Station ahead of his appearance in court today.

On the weekend, there was restricted access to the station, with the Police officers manning the main entrance saying "there is a sensitive matter being handled at the station".

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9:54 am  |   Lugoloobi supporters 'arrive from Kayunga'

Vision Group's senior multimedia journalists Henry Sekanjako and Raziah Athman are reporting for Urban TV live from the Anti-Corruption Court at Kololo in Kampala.

A little while ago, they said that supporters of minister Lugoloobi arrived at the court as early as 8am aboard a coaster and with some wearing outfits printed with messages of support for the embattled minister.

They have travelled all the way from Lugoloobi's home district of Kayunga to show solidarity with him the minister, who also represents Ntenjeru North constituency in Parliament.
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9:47 am  |   Second minister arrested in iron sheets saga

Lugoolobi is the second minister to be arrested over the iron sheets scandal.

He was arrested the same day (April 14) fellow minister Mary Goretti Kitutu (for Karamoja affairs) was granted a sh10m bail by the Anti-Corruption Court after spending eight days at Luzira prison.

Kitutu was also detained at Kira Division Police Station the previous week, before being arraigned in court on charges of corruption.

Related: Minister Kitutu granted bail in iron sheets case

The 61-year-old politician, who is also the Manafwa district Woman MP, is accused of diverting iron sheets meant for the people of Karamoja.

After declining to have the minister released mid-this week over unsubstantial sureties, Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro last Friday granted Kitutu bail after she presented a fresh set of sureties, this time deemed substantial.

Her brother, Michael Naboya Kitutu, accused of receiving stolen property according to the charge sheet, was also granted bail after his two sureties were found to be substantial.

Kitutu is battling charges of loss of public property, contrary to Section 10 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, 2009 and conspiracy to defraud, contrary to Section 309 of the Penal Code Act.

She denied the offences, which elicits a 10-year jail term on conviction.

The embattled minister is facing the charges alongside her personal assistant Joshua Abaho, who is accused of corruption and has yet to appear in court.

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9:40 am  |   Lugoloobi arrested and detained — Police

Amos Lugoloobi is one of the ministers who appeared on the list of people that reportedly received the iron sheets intended for Karamoja.

He is said to have received 600 G28 corrugated pre-painted iron sheets in a scandal that has rocked the nation.

On Friday evening, Police confirmed they had arrested and later detained him at Kira Division Police Station in Kira division in Wakiso district.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said the minister was arrested after the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) sanctioned charges against him.

"Following the ongoing investigations into the alleged theft and diversion of iron sheets meant for the Karamoja region, the office of the ODPP has sanctioned criminal charges against Lugoloobi," said Enanga.

On February 27 this year, New Vision reported that Lugoloobi had used some of the iron sheets received from the Office of the Prime Minister to roof an animal shed at his farm in Misanga village, Bbale sub-county, Kayunga district.

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9:32 am  |   In today's papers . . .

As you may have guessed, the iron sheets story is not about to get off the front pages of New Vision, which you can access and read electronically 👉🏽 HERE.

Today's edition leads with a related story, which says that eight more ministers are to be charged, as minister Lugoloobi is due for court appearance today.

Part of Bukedde's busy home page also has the 'mabaati' story.

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9:30 am  |   Attention turns back to court

Hello everyone and welcome to New Vision's online text coverage of Monday's court appearance of another minister named in the iron sheets scandal.

Today, the finance state minister for planning, Amos Lugoloobi (pictured below), who was arrested Friday over the matter, is expected to appear at the Anti-Corruption Court to hear charges against him.