Minister Nandutu sent me to pick 2000 iron sheets, witness tells court

A political assistant to the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Ms Agnes Nandutu has told court that she received 2,000 iron sheets on her boss’ behalf in a case in which she (Nandutu) is accused of dealing with suspect property in connection with the Karamoja iron sheets scandal.

Ms Evelyn Bazibu, the programme Scheduler at NTV told the court at Kololo, Kampala that Ms Nandutu directed her to pick the iron sheets from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) stores at Namanve, Wakiso District in June last year.
 
“In June last year, I was contacted by Hon Nandutu who told me that she had been given 2,000 iron sheets by Hon (Goretti Kitutu). At that time, she told me they (iron sheets) would be good for Bududu people hit by landslides,” she testified Thursday.
 
Ms Bazibu, the first prosecution witness in the case also testified that upon picking the iron sheets, the minister told her to keep them at her home in Namusera, Wakiso District for at least two weeks because she did not have enough space.
“…the counting was done in front of the store. Osbert, the person whom the minister told me to see said that the iron sheets are counted in bundles and that each has 12 pieces, and they were 200 bundles. He also told me to take a photo of the truck,” said Ms Bazibu adding that she signed on behalf of Ms Nandutu.
 
Ms Bazibu testified that she reported everything to the minister who sometimes visits her home.
 
“She asked me to call a man called Moses to drive the iron sheets to Bududa but I told her his truck was small for the iron sheets as they were bulky and she (Nandutu) told me to call another one called John Shebale as he has contacts of truck drivers who move goods from Mbale to Kampala and they said they charge Shs1.5 million,” said Ms Bazibu adding that she kept reminding the minister about the iron sheets and the need to use her garage where they had been kept.

Ms Bazibu said she has been helping Ms Nandutu with running budgets, withdrawing mobile money and that on the day they were taking the iron sheets, she received a phone call from her daughter’s school informing her about her attack and she handed over items to a one John Watenga who manages Ms Nandutu’s farm.
 
However, during cross examination, Ms Bazibu testified that she did not count the iron sheets and could not tell the exact number.
 
She did not know if the intended beneficiaries (in Bududa) were ever organized to receive the iron sheets but the ledger book she signed was for Bududa District where Ms Nandutu was elected as a woman representative.
 
Ms Nandutu is accused of dealing with suspect property.
 
Prosecution contends that Ms Nandutu between June and July 2022, at the Office of the Prime Minister’s stores in Namanve and in Kkola Cell, Bulwanyi Parish, Mukono District, privately dealt with government property to which 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets of gauge 28 marked Office of the Prime Minister.
 
The state further contends that the minister received the iron sheets that were acquired as a result of the loss of public property, an offence under Section 10 (1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2009 as amended.
 
Mr Geoffrey Sseremba, the undersecretary in the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) whose role it is to manage expenditures under allocated programmes testified in court as a technical witness.

Mr Sseremba who also doubles as an accounting officer told court that in 2022, a total of Shs39.94 billion was approved for peace building activities in the restive mineral-rich Karamoja sub-region.
 
The activities, according to Sseremba included addressing the disadvantaged situations, causing development inform of infrastructure and also extend social welfare services such as schools and health centers to the people of the north eastern sub region in order to persuade them to embrace disarmament and abandon cattle rustling for legally acceptable income generating activities. 
 
The trial judge Jane Kajuga adjourned the case to August 30 for further hearing of the prosecution witness.
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