I am an orphan and single mother - Nandutu pleads in court

The former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu has pleaded for leniency during sentencing before the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, over diverting 2,000 iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja.

During her sentencing on Friday, Nandutu pleaded that she is a single mother, a sole bread winner in her family and also her father’s only surviving child.

“I’m a single mother of young school-going children, I’m the only able person in the family to win bread for both my family, my local family, the children, orphans that I’ve been lifting from my siblings and my ailing mother who is about 80 years suffering from pressure,” she said.

Nandutu expressed cooperation with authorities explaining that she was misled into the offence and requested for a non-custodial sentence.

“I’m a first-time offender, on such grounds, I would request this honourable court to have lenience on me. As you are aware, you know the history of my health; I have been in and out of hospital for a while, in court and up to date, my health is not okay, I’m still in and out of hospital,” she said.

She further noted that she already returned the ironsheets.

“The Iron sheets that I received, after finding out that they were intended for the people of Karamoja, Lord, I willingly returned them, I willingly told police that I had them,” she said.

Nandutu could face a maximum of seven-years-imprisonment and a fine of Shs3.2m.