Minister Nandutu granted bail

The Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court has granted bail to the State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Ms Agnes Nandutu.
The trial Judge Jane Okuo Kajuga Thursday granted Nandutu, who is also the Bududa District Woman MP a cash bail of Shs10 million while her sureties were bonded at Shs50 million each, not cash.
Other bail terms included; depositing two land titles registered in her name to the court, and her passport. This means the former TV journalist cannot travel outside the country without the court's permission. One of her sureties, Mr Nandala Mafabi, the Budadiri West MP was also told to surrender to court the title of his land located in Namugongo, Wakiso District.

The judge noted that Ms Nandutu had convinced court that she suffers from a medical complication that requires a rapid emergency response. She further explained that the evidence by police that the minister had evaded them is hearsay and that court cannot rely on it yet she voluntarily surrendered herself to police.
"The applicant is a family person with young children and elderly parents to look after and her attendance can be secured by imposing stringent terms," Justice Kajuga ruled.
Some of the grounds that the minister raised to be released on bail included her constitutional right to get bail, being a law-abiding citizen who has voluntarily been reporting to police whenever called upon, and being a known patient of severe venous insufficiency [a disease that can cause sudden blood clot formation], a condition she said needs specialised medical attention.
Other bail grounds are having a fixed place of abode at Nantabulirwa Village in Seeta, Mukono District within the jurisdiction of the court, having a young family and elderly parents who all depend on her, bringing sound and substantial sureties, promising to abide by the bail conditions that court will impose on her, and that the offence she being charged with is bailable.