Police conclude probe into iron sheets saga

Police have said they have finalised investigations into the Karamoja iron sheets scandal.
The police spokesperson, Mr Fred Enanga, told journalists in Kampala yesterday that they have since embarked on writing the final report that they will be sending to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for perusal and possible sanctioning.

“Our task teams at Criminal Investigation Department headquarters working with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit and the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) managed to conclude the process of statement recording from witnesses from Kampala, the technical offices and also from Karamoja Sub-region,” Mr Enanga said.

According to police, there are exhibits that were recovered from suspects and that there are also forensic documents that were fully examined during the investigations.
“The task team is now coming up with an investigative report supporting their investigations and then the other week, probably we shall be submitting the file to the office of the DPP,” Mr Enanga said.
Last month, a multi-agency team on the orders of President Museveni started the criminal investigations into circumstances under which ministers acquired iron sheets meant for beneficiaries in Karamoja.

A number of ministers, among them Ms Rebecca Kadaga (First Deputy Prime Minister) and Matia Kasaija (Finance), have publicly acknowledged receiving the roofing materials but said they never asked for them. Parliament’s Presidential Affairs Committee has since given Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu, who is the key witness, up today to appear before the legislators or risk arrest.

The minister has on two separate occasions failed to appear before the Committee to help with the investigation.
In an October 13, 2022 internal memo to the under-secretary, Karamoja Affairs minister Kitutu named 12 senior and junior ministers and 16 MPs from the sub-region as beneficiaries of the roofing materials.