Iron sheets saga: Minister Lugoloobi seeks dismissal of charges against him
State minister for Planning Amos Lugoloobi (centre) arrives at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala on April 17, 2023 where he was charged with being in possession of stolen ironsheets meant for Karamoja sub region. PHOTO/ ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- The trial judge adjourned the case to November 14 for ruling on whether there’s a case to answer.
Lawyers of finance state minister Amos Lugoloobi have asked court to dismiss charges against the government official in the iron sheets scandal.
On Monday, defence lawyers led by John Isabirye asked the Anti-Corruption court presided by justice Jane Kanjuga to dismiss the charges against the state minister.
“We submit that there has been no evidence to prove the essential elements of the offences against the accused and the evidence that was presented in this court by the prosecution was so districted in the cross examination and was so unreliable that no reasonable court can rely on it,” Isabirye submitted.
He added: “The accused did not have anything in his mind to believe that he was dealing with suspected property.”
Prosecution led by Josephine Namatovu objected the submission stating that prosecutors have already presented a prima facie case against the minister, demonstrating sufficient evidence to support the charges.
“The defense did not dispute the fact that the accused received the iron sheets but rather talked about contradictions by the witnesses and from the time the accused received iron sheets [between July 2023-2024], he was holding them in different places,” Namatovu submitted.
“Some iron sheets were found on his farm and his workers were found removing the pre-painted iron sheets with those that were not marked. Our submission is that until those iron sheets were recovered, they were being held by the accused person,” she added.
Namatovu informed court that only 1,000 iron sheets were taken from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) stores, leaving 9,000 sheets that were distributed among select ministers with the authorization of the former Karamoja minister Mary Goretti Kitutu. The accused is one of the ministers who illegally received the iron sheets.
The trial judge adjourned the case to November 14 for ruling on whether there’s a case to answer.
Prosecution states that on July 14, 2022 and in February 2023 at the OPM stores in Namanve in Mukono District and at different places in Matugga, Wakiso District and Ntenjeru North Constituency in Kayunga District, Lugoloobi dealt with government property, to wit; 400 pre-painted iron sheets marked "Office of the Prime Minister" having reason to believe that the said iron sheets were acquired as a result of loss of public property, an offence under section 10(1) o the Anti-Corruption Act.
In the second account, prosecution said Lugoloobi between February 1 2023 and March 16, 2023 at OPM stores in Namanve and at different places in Matugga, and in Ntenjeru dealt with suspect property, to wit; 300 pre-painted iron sheets marked "Office of the Prime Minister", having reason to believe that the said iron sheets were acquired as a result of loss of public property, an offence under Section 10 (I) of the Anti-Corruption Act.
Documentary evidence against Lugoloobi includes his terms and conditions as a minister of state, guidelines for distribution of iron sheets dated March 22, 2022, work plan for distribution of the iron sheets to Karamoja Sub-region, schedule of the recipients of the iron sheets and scene of crime officer reports.
Others include a search certificate in respect of the search that was conducted at his farm, search certificates for the iron sheets that were returned to OPM stores by the accused person, OPM goods received notes for the iron sheets that were returned, and exhibit slips in respect of the recovered iron sheets among others.
