Kampala — Former Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs and Bududa Woman MP, Agnes Nandutu, will finally take the stand on Friday in her high-profile corruption trial after court-ordered medical tests reportedly found her fit to proceed.
Nandutu is facing trial at the Anti-Corruption Court in relation to the theft and mismanagement of iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja sub-region.
She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Her testimony has been repeatedly delayed by claims of ill health. In April, the court ordered Mulago or Nakasero Hospital to carry out an independent medical assessment following complaints from her legal team that she was too frail to defend herself.
“I am really sick,” Nandutu told the court during a tearful April appearance, claiming her medication had recently been changed and that failure to adhere to treatment could prove fatal.
She also appealed to privately explain her condition, citing its intimate nature.
However, those claims were thrown into question last weekend when the MP was reportedly seen dancing at a public event in Bududa, leading to renewed scrutiny over the legitimacy of her medical excuse.
On Tuesday, presiding judge Justice Jane Kajuga gave Mulago Hospital a strict three-day deadline to complete a final evaluation and submit its findings.
Sources close to the court now confirm that the hospital has cleared Nandutu to take the stand, effectively removing her last legal barrier to testifying.
The case has been marred by delays and accusations of stalling tactics. In an earlier court session, Justice Kajuga expressed frustration with Nandutu’s legal team, saying, “I am disappointed in the lawyers… I feel the defence is intentionally trying to drag the process.”
Nandutu is among several senior government officials and ministers implicated in the so-called iron sheets scandal, a graft scheme involving the diversion of government-supplied iron sheets meant to support vulnerable populations in Karamoja.
The scandal has prompted public outrage and political embarrassment for the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
Nandutu’s trial resumes tomorrow at the Anti-Corruption Division of the High Court, Court Room 1 at City Square, where she is expected to finally face cross-examination.
Whether her testimony will clear her name or further implicate others remains to be seen — but for now, the days of dodging the dock appear to be over.