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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala has further remanded the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Agnes Nandutu. She will return to court today for a bail application hearing.
Nandutu was on Wednesday arraigned before the Court presided over by Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga and formally charged with one count of dealing with suspect property which she denied.
Court heard that during the month of June 2022 at the office of the Prime Minister’s Stores in Namanve and Kkola Cell Bulwanyi Parish Mukono District, Nandutu dealt with government property that is 2,000 pre-painted iron sheets Guage 28 by receiving and holding the said iron sheets.
Nandutu through her lawyers led by Nandaah Charles Wamukota applied for bail on grounds that the charges against their client are bailable by the court.
Wamukota told the court that Nandutu has substantial sureties including Nathan Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri County West MP and former Leader of Opposition in Parliament.
Nandala who is also the Chairperson of Bugisu Cooperative Union presented before the court his financial Bank Statements one which is a Dollar account and another in local currency, a passport, four land titles two of them in his name, and the others registered in the names of Mountain In Limited a Hotel which belongs to him.
The other sureties are Gerald Nangoli, the Member of Parliament and Chairperson of Bugisu Parliamentary Group, and Bududa LCV Chairperson Kamoti Milton Apolo Wasumbuyi.
Her lawyers added that Nandutu is also having two land titles one is for her place of residence, her parliament, and her National Identification Card.
The Court also heard that Nandutu has no past criminal record and is a law-abiding citizen who handed herself to the Criminal Investigations Department of Police a day before she was brought for plea taking and she was reporting there as and when wanted.
The court was also told that Nandutu is suffering from pressure as shown in the document by Superintendent of Police Dr. Julius Muhwezi who says she needs Orthopedic care because she has swelling on the entire left foot, with obvious depression.
But the prosecution led by Jonathan Muwaganya asked the court to deny Nandutu bail on grounds that while relying on an affidavit sworn by One Emmanuel Benon Ayebare, a Police Detective who says that she is a flight risk who has previously refused to answer to police summons.
Muwaganya told the court that when Nandutu was summoned by police, she abandoned her home and as of April 15th, 2023 all her three known phones were switched off, a search at both her home and farm and known places of her abode yielded no results as she was suspiciously absent.
Muwaganya said not only did Nandutu abandon her home but she also abandoned her official vehicle Registration number UG 0913Z at CID Kibuli.
According to Muwaganya, 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, and from that date, her official driver didn’t know her whereabouts until when she was formally arrested on April 18, 2023.
“My Lord, not even her official bodyguards knew where she was on April 14th, 2023 when she was summoned by police,” Muwaganya said.
The court also heard that a verification done by Police Constable John Etuka established that he was dismissed by her boss Nandutu after the day’s work on April 14th and he couldn’t establish where she was.
Muwaganya further submitted that whereas it is alleged that Nandutu handed over herself to Police, their evidence shows that she went into hiding on April 17th, 2023, when the Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga at a press conference declared Nandutu a wanted person.
Muwaganya submitted before the Court evidence to show that Nandutu’s guard at her farm in Nantabulilwa, Private Constable Ernest Wakabi said she had not returned to her place of residence on April 14th, 10 am when she was last booked out of the residential diary book, a book to keep records for people who are guarded by police.
The prosecution told the court that given the previous conduct of Nandutu, she is very likely to abscond if released on bail.
The prosecution also argued that only Mafabi is substantial and has demonstrated the financial capacity to compel Nandutu to return for trial. They cited the documents like bank statements and land titles that he presented before Court.
They argued that is not the position of leadership one holds, but rather the ability to compel one to return for trial, and such cannot be presumed but demonstrated in terms of the influence that they yield over the accused.
Muwaganya also told Court that Nandutu has not proved to be sick as per the requirements of the law because she only brought to court an internal Memo written by a Police Doctor addressed to his bosses and not her.
Meanwhile, the Anti Corruption Division of the High Court has fixed May 25th, as the day when it will start hearing the case in which the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs Nandutu is accused of dealing with suspect property.
After denying the charges, the court-appointed assessors. They are Sarah Namayanja a farmer, Joanita Rose, and Robert Lubega Seguya, a businessman. They later took an oath to dispense justice in the case without fear or favor.
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