IRON SHEETS SCANDAL: Minister Lugolobi remanded to Luzira Prison, Nandutu continues to snub police summons

The State Minister for Finance Amos Lugolobi has been remanded to Luzira Prison until 20th April by Anti Corruption Court in Kampala.
Lugolobi arrived at the Anti-corruption Court in Kololo to take plea on two counts of dealing with suspect property contrary to section 21(a) of the Anti Corruption Act.
The minister was arrested on Friday and detained at Kiira Division Police in Wakiso. The arrests emanates from his connection in mismanaging the Karamoja iron sheets.
Meanwhile, Police investigators along with the office of the DPP are still tracing onwards and backwards into investigations of the Irons sheets scandal.
Several ministers and MPS are accused of stealing iron sheets earmarked for distribution to vulnerable communities in Karamoja Sub-region.

Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, has confirmed that so far 3 ministers were been summoned to appear at CID; 2 have appeared in court (Amos Lugoloobi and Marry Goretti Kitutu but State Minister for Karamoja, Agnes Nandutu, is still snubbing summons issued to her to appear before the Criminal Investigations Division headquarters in Kibuli.

Enanga Monday morning said that Nandutu was expected to appear on Friday as a witness in the ongoing investigations at Kibuli, however, she didn’t and never provided any reason for her not turning up.

He said there are some witnesses they interviewed from the beginning of the investigations and they have re-invited them to reappear at CID headquarters.

The police spokesperson however urged all witnesses who have been summoned to respond to the summons but also cooperate with investigators.

“The information we require from you can help either prove the allegations against them or disprove what has been put against them. We want to see whether the ingredients in the file are enough to be taken to the DPP” he noted.

The Police spokesperson explained that the arrest of people implicated in the iron sheets scandal only depends on the advice of the DPP and the evidence against them.

“We have a separate file on each person that we sent to the DPP. On reading the file and weighing evidence, the DPP has discretion to determine who is to be arraigned in court or not,” Enanga Said.

President Yoweri Museveni recently said that the act of diverting the Karamoja iron sheets is subversive since these were meant for among others, the Karachuna(Karamojong warriors) as part of government efforts to fight insecurity in the area.

He, therefore, noted that those involved in the scandal can only be equated to those trying to weaken government.

The statement by the president could partly explain the manner in which those involved have been handled, different from other scandals.

The president also passed a directive barring any government officials involved in the Iron Sheets scandal from travelling abroad until the matter is put to rest, a highly placed security source has revealed.

Other senior government officials implicated in the Karamoja iron sheet scandal include the Vice President Jessica Alupo, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, Finance Minister, Matia Kasaija, Speaker of Parliament and Anita Among, among others.