By Karim Were
Former Karamoja Affairs minister Agnes Nandutu has been sentenced to four years in prison over the illegal possession of government iron sheets, with time spent on remand to be deducted, as the court also barred her from holding public office for ten years.
The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has sentenced Bududa District Woman Member of Parliament Agnes Nandutu to four years in prison for her role in the illegal acquisition and possession of government iron sheets intended for vulnerable Karachuna in Karamoja.
Trial judge Jane Okuo ruled that the period Nandutu spent on remand will be deducted from her sentence.
The court also ordered that all recovered iron sheets be returned.
In addition, the court barred Nandutu from holding public office for a period of ten years, citing the gravity and nature of the offence, as well as findings from the offence impact assessment report.
Earlier in the day, Nandutu made an emotional plea for leniency, asking for forgiveness from the people of Karamoja, the President, and her constituents.
“I would like to express my remorse to the people of Karamoja and the appointing authority. Please forgive me,” Nandutu told court.
She prayed for a non-custodial sentence, citing her deteriorating health condition, saying she has lumps in her lungs that occasionally cause her to lose consciousness.
Nandutu also told court that she is a single mother of seven children and the sole caregiver to her 81-year-old mother.
In her mitigation, she said she had returned the iron sheets and paid in cash for those that were missing, urging the court to consider this as a factor for leniency.
However, the prosecution opposed a lighter sentence, urging court to impose a penalty of not less than five years.
