By KT Reporter
The State Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, Amos Lugoloobi, has decried the damage to his 40-year reputation following allegations that he misappropriated 600 iron sheets meant for vulnerable people in Karamoja.
Lugoloobi made this statement while appearing before Lady Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga for the third consecutive day, as he continued his defense after being found with a case to answer regarding charges of dealing with suspect property.
He explained that he returned the iron sheets in compliance with a directive issued by President Yoweri Museveni, who ordered all recipients to return them either in their original form or in cash. According to Lugoloobi, he had not used some of the iron sheets, and was able to return them as instructed.
Lugoloobi further told the court that he was devastated upon learning that the iron sheets he and others, including Chief Administrative Officers, Members of Parliament, and ministers, had received were not meant for them. He said he was mentally affected by the widespread media coverage accusing him of taking iron sheets intended for the vulnerable.
He emphasized that he built his reputation since 1986, when the current government came into power and expressed distress and that his name was being tarnished over 600 iron sheets, despite his compliance in returning them. Records indicate that Lugoloobi began his career at the Uganda Development Corporation (UDC) before joining the Uganda Investment Authority as the Director for Investments.
He later moved to the National Planning Authority as Deputy Executive Director. In 2011, he was elected as the Ntejeru North MP in Kayunga District and served as the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Budget Committee for eight years before being appointed State Minister in 2021. In December 2024, Lugoloobi was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Philosophy in Business Management by the University of Cuneo, Italy.
To prove his innocence, Lugoloobi informed the court that he will call 14 witnesses to testify in his defense. He argued that the iron sheets in question were not branded as belonging to Karamoja and that he acquired them through proper channels. The prosecution, led by Assistant Director of Public Prosecution Josephine Namatovu, has presented 11 witnesses against him.
Lugoloobi also presented several letters from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), including those signed by Undersecretary Geoffrey Sseremba, which addressed requests to MM Integrated Limited for iron sheets. The court admitted these letters as evidence. He stated that Sseremba acknowledged the receipt of iron sheets and informed him that OPM was distributing them under affirmative action and disaster relief programs. He argued that the letter did not specify that the iron sheets were designated for Karamoja, nor did he knowingly receive them inappropriately.
His lawyer, Alex Luganda, asked whether he was aware of ongoing investigations at the time of receiving the iron sheets. Lugoloobi responded that he was unaware that obtaining them constituted an offense, as they were allocated through his assistant and distributed within his constituency. Lugoloobi maintained that he was unaware of how the iron sheets were marked, stating that all sheets bore the standard “OPM” branding.
He clarified that this labeling did not necessarily indicate they were intended for Karamoja. He further explained that branding and procurement of government relief items were not part of his role as a finance minister. His ministry was responsible for allocating funds but not for the direct purchase or distribution of materials. He dismissed prosecution claims that iron sheets were released exclusively after cabinet meetings, calling such assertions mere hearsay.
He reiterated that he had never received iron sheets directly from former Karamoja Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu Kimono and had never communicated with her about them. The judge adjourned the case to May 27, 2025, for cross-examination by the prosecution. Lugoloobi’s witnesses have been instructed to appear in court to testify on his behalf.
Lugoloobi faces allegations of dealing with 700 pre-painted iron sheets marked “Office of the Prime Minister.” Prosecutors allege he obtained 400 sheets between July 2022 and February 2023 and an additional 300 sheets between February and March 2023. Evidence presented in court suggests that he used some sheets to roof an animal shed but later removed them when investigations commenced.
The court previously ruled that sufficient evidence had been presented by 11 prosecution witnesses, including a church reverend, to establish a prima facie case against him. On January 10, 2025, the same court also found former State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nandutu, with a case to answer over similar charges. Nandutu is accused of receiving iron sheets meant for Karamoja’s vulnerable population and is set to begin her defense soon.
The iron sheets scandal implicated three ministers: Lugoloobi, Nandutu, and former Cabinet Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu. Kitutu’s trial has been delayed due to allegations of torture while in custody. The Inspector General accuses her of causing a financial loss of UGX 1.5 billion by failing to conduct peace-building activities in Karamoja between February and June 2022.
In June 2023, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Jane Frances Abodo, revealed that the police, in collaboration with the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, had forwarded 40 case files related to the scandal. After screening, only three cases proceeded to court due to a lack of sufficient evidence in 17 others. According to the DPP, some politicians were misled by their assistants and were unaware of the origin of the iron sheets.
Some had requested relief items years earlier but had not received a response until the scandal unfolded. The scandal implicated high-ranking government officials, including Vice President Jessica Alupo and Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among, but many were not charged-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
