Nandutu remanded again

The State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Ms Agnes Nandutu, was further remanded to Luzira prison yesterday after the Anti-Corruption Court adjourned her bail application ruling to today at 11am.

Presiding judge Jane Okuo Kajuga said she needed time to go over the bail submissions by defence and state lawyers in “favour” and “against” her release.

“You (defence and state lawyers) have raised a number of issues that court needs to look through before coming up with a ruling. Let me use this afternoon (yesterday) to look through the issues before I can deliver the ruling tomorrow at 11am,” Justice Okuo ruled.

She added: “The applicant (minister Nandutu) is further remanded and will be produced tomorrow at 11am.”

Earlier, the prosecution led by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya asked the court not to release Ms Nandutu on bail, saying there are high chances of her fleeing given her alleged previous conduct of snubbing police summons.

Mr Muwaganya presented an affidavit of detective Emmanuel Benon Ayebare, who said he conducted surveillance on her three known mobile phones and searched her home in Seeta but she had gone into hiding.

“On April 16, 2023 at 09:15, I and my team, went to the applicant’s home at Nantabulililwa-Seeta, Mukono District in search for the applicant (Ms Nandutu) and I established from her home security guard… that the applicant had not returned home since 11am of April 14, 2023 when she was booked out in the residential dairy book,” the affidavit, which was read out by Mr Muwaganya, stated.

It added: “I then concentrated on tracking the applicant’s telephone lines and in the afternoon of April 16, the Airtel lines were switched on and I tracked them to the applicant’s farm at Kkora Cell, Mukono, located about one and half kilometres from her residence but by the time of my arrival, I didn’t find the accused and the phones were again switched off.”

Mr Muwaganya added that the Bududa District Woman MP had abandoned her official vehicle, as one of the ways of eluding police arrest.

He said it was only after police spokesperson Fred Enanga announced at a press conference that the minister had gone missing that she came out of hiding.

“On the next morning of April 18, 2023, the applicant  surrendered herself to police at CID (Directorate of Criminal Intelligence) headquarters Kibuli… it will serve the interest of justice if the application for bail is denied and instead hearing of the case is prioritised since inquiries are complete,” Mr Muwaganya submitted.

But Ms Nandutu’s defence lawyer, Mr Charles Wamukota Nandaah, downplayed the State’s allegations, saying the minister voluntarily took herself to the CID.

“The applicant reported to police voluntarily when she learnt that she was wanted. There were no criminal summons that were issued by the police to prove that she was summoned and she refused to appear,” Mr Wamukota said.

The minister presented three sureties; Nathan Nandala Mafabi (Budadiri West), Mr Gerald Nangoli (Elgon North County) and Mr Milton Kamoti, the LC5 of Bududa District.

But the State rejected Mr Nangoli and Mr Kamoti for allegedly not being substantial because they did not demonstrate their financial capability like furnishing the court with their bank statements, a requirement in corruption cases.

But Mr Wamukota sent the court into laughter when he said since the monetary value of the 2,000 iron sheets that the minister is accused of taking is worth Shs150m, then Mr Nandala, whose net worth is reportedly more than Shs1b, should be considered as a lone surety.

The minister faces one count of dealing with a suspect property.

BACKGROUND

On April 18, Ms Agnes Nandutu, the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, was arrested after she handed herself in to the CID headquarters at Kibuli, Kampala, for questioning over alleged theft of iron sheets meant for the vulnerable people in Karamoja and abuse of office.

The following day, she was arraigned at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kololo, Kampala where she was committed to High Court for trial and sent on remand to Luzira prison. On April 20, Nandutu applied for bail