Judge rejects Nandutu’s request to present 56 witnesses

KAMPALA - The Anti-Corruption Court has rejected a request by former Karamoja affairs state minister Agnes Nandutu to present 56 witnesses to defend her in the iron sheets case, saying it is a ploy to delay the trial.

Through her lawyers, John Nalela and Charles Nandah Wamukota, Nandutu had requested the court to allow 56 witnesses to defend her in the iron sheets case, saying they were victims of Bududa landslide, who benefited from the relief.

“My lord, we intend to bring in more 56 witnesses who are the victims of Bududa landslide and were the beneficiaries of the relief to testify in court,” Nalela said. 

He requested after five defence witnesses had presented their testimonies in the court.

However, acting Principal Judge Jane Okuo Kajuga rejected the legislator’s request to present 56 witnesses in court, saying it is intended to delay the trial.

The judge informed Nandutu that in the last court session, she informed the court that she had five witnesses, including Elgon North County MP Gerald Nangoli.

On Friday, August 15, 2025, defence witness Peter Amodoi, 56, a programmes officer attached to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), said he did not know anything concerning iron sheets because his duties were to mobilise, take assignments and monitor Karamoja government programmes.

Amodoi said as a programmes officer, he reports to the assistant commissioner and takes instructions from ministers. The witness said he only engaged in three activities, including recovering guns from the Karachunas, the reformed Karamoja warriors.

The witness also said he engaged in mobilisation and monitoring education infrastructures in Karamoja region, and the last assignment was mobilising agriculture inputs, whereupon he filed two reports about education and agriculture in 2021.

Amodoi told the court that Bududa does not fall under the Karamoja affairs ministry, but it has general ministries such as that of disaster preparedness and refugees.

Bududa LC5 chairperson Milton Apollo Kamoti told the court that his work is to monitor the progress of the development in the district. He is one of Nandutu’s sureties.  

He told the court that in 2022, Bududa faced a landslide, especially in Bulucheke and Bushika, resulting in the displacement of many people.

“When landslides hit Bududa, many people were affected, and the prime minister was able to visit the scene and deliver food and other items. Nandutu also pledged to support the victims,” Kamoti said.

The witness also testified that in March 2022, Nandutu informed him that she had iron sheets for the Bududa landslide victims.

Kamoti said after receiving the information, he requested the chief administrative officer (CAO) to write a formal letter to the OPM, requesting iron sheets. The witness said the CAO wrote the letter, and it was received by the OPM’s office in October 2022, but they never received the iron sheets.

The case

Nandutu is battling charges of dealing with suspect property, contrary to section 21A (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act. If found guilty, Nandutu will be sentenced to seven years in prison.

Prosecution alleges that Nandutu between June and July 2022, at the OPM stores in Namanve, and in Kkola Cell, Bulwanyi Parish, Mukono district, dealt with government property, namely, 2000 pre-painted iron sheets of gauge 28 marked “Office of the Prime Minister”, by receiving and holding the items, which she had reason to believe were acquired as a result of loss of public property, an offence under Section 10 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009.

On the other hand, Kitutu, who is the Manafwa district Woman Member of Parliament, faces two counts of loss of public property and conspiracy to defraud at the Anti-Corruption Court together with her brother, Michael Kitutu Naboya and personal assistant Joshua Abaho.

The matter was adjourned to September 9, 2025, for a further defence hearing.