Agnes Nandutu, the Karamoja Affairs State Minister, was released on Thursday morning after being granted cash bail of Shillings 10 million by Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga at the Anti-Corruption High Court. Nandutu was remanded to prison on May 3rd, 2023, following her arrest in connection to the Karamoja iron sheet scandal.
The prosecution alleges that Nandutu dealt with 2,000 prepainted iron sheets Gauge 28, knowing that they were obtained as a result of the loss of public property, which is an offense under Section 10 of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2000.
During her bail hearing, Nandutu's lawyers presented three sureties, including former leader of opposition in Parliament, James Nathan Nandala Mafabi, Member of Parliament Gerald Nangoli, and Bududa District LC5 Chairperson Kamoti Milton Apolo Wasumbuyi. They argued that Nandutu had a fixed place of abode within the jurisdiction of the court, a passport, a land title, and National and Parliament Identification Cards.
However, the prosecution requested that the court deny bail, claiming that only Nandala Mafabi had demonstrated the financial capacity to compel Nandutu to return to trial and pay the monies involved in the case if she absconded from the trial.
The prosecution also submitted an affidavit sworn by Emmanuel Benon Ayebare, a police detective, who described Nandutu as a flight risk. They argued that when Nandutu was summoned by police, she abandoned her home, and all three known phones were switched off. Furthermore, a search at her home, farm, and known places of abode yielded no results.
Nandutu's official driver, Corporal Patrick Kunya, revealed that he was last in touch with Nandutu on April 14th, 2023, on the date she had been summoned to the police.
From that date, her official driver did not know her whereabouts until she was formally arrested on April 18th, 2023. Police Constable John Etuka's verification established that Nandutu dismissed him after work on April 14th, and he could not establish her whereabouts.
Muwaganya, the prosecutor, further submitted evidence to show that Nandutu went into hiding on April 17th, 2023. The Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, then declared her a wanted person in a press conference. Nandutu surrendered herself to CID headquarters the next morning.
The prosecution claimed that Nandutu's previous conduct showed that she was a flight risk. However, Lady Justice Kajuga directed Nandutu to deposit her passport and two land titles, including one for her Mukono-based home, as additional security in the court.
She also directed Nandala to deposit the duplicate land title for his property in Namugongo in court. To prevent Nandutu from absconding during the trial, Lady Justice Kajuga instructed her not to leave the country without permission from the court and to continue reporting as required. The trial will commence on May 25th, 2023.
