The Minister of State for Finance, Amos Lugoloobi, has distanced himself from any wrongdoing in the Karamoja iron sheets scandal, asserting that the individuals responsible for distributing the materials should be held accountable instead.
Lugoloobi made this statement while testifying before the Anti-Corruption Court, presided over by Justice Jane Okuo Kajuga, on Thursday.
“I am enduring immense suffering because those entrusted with distributing the iron sheets failed to execute their duties effectively, resulting in their allocation to unintended recipients,” the minister stated.
Represented by lawyer Alex Luganda, alongside defense attorneys John Isabirye and Tonny Tumukunde, Lugoloobi is facing allegations of diverting 600 iron sheets that were designated for the Karamoja sub-region.
The minister emphasized that his reputation, built since joining the government in 1986, has been severely tarnished due to this issue.
When questioned by his counsel, Luganda, regarding his motivation for returning the iron sheets to the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) stores in Namanve, Lugoloobi cited a directive from President Yoweri Museveni.
The President had instructed that the materials either be returned or their equivalent value be reimbursed.
The court also heard that some of the iron sheets allocated to Lugoloobi were later recovered from a farm in Misanga village, Bbaale parish, Kayunga district.
These materials had reportedly been used to construct a goat shelter and were also donated to a local school. However, the minister asserted that the farm belongs to the community.
“It was distressing to learn that iron sheets intended for the Karamoja sub-region were instead distributed to me and others,” Lugoloobi lamented.
He further explained that he returned the iron sheets in an effort to clear his conscience, as he felt deeply troubled by allegations that he had unlawfully taken government property.
Iron Sheets Distribution: Karamoja or Luwero?
Lugoloobi disclosed that during the 2021/2022 financial year, iron sheets were not only distributed to Karamoja but also to other regions, including Rwenzori, Luwero (where his Kayunga district constituency is located), Northern Uganda, and the Teso sub-region.
He insisted that the iron sheets he received were intended for the Luwero region.
However, Fredrick Kalema, the head of the OPM stores in Namanve, testified that the materials given to the minister were, in fact, designated for Karamoja.
Lugoloobi, in response, maintained that his name does not appear in any OPM records as a recipient of iron sheets meant for Karamoja.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
Lugoloobi, who also serves as the Member of Parliament for Ntenjeru North, is facing two charges related to dealing with suspect property, in violation of Section 21A of the Anti-Corruption Act.
If convicted, he could face a maximum sentence of seven years in prison.
The minister is alleged to have received 600 iron sheets in two separate batches of 300.
The first consignment was reportedly collected from the OPM on July 15, 2022, under voucher number 8,058, with his personal assistant, John Allan Damulira, signing for the materials. The consignment was transported using a vehicle with registration number UBG 430S.
According to the prosecution, between July 14, 2022, and February 28, 2023, Lugoloobi handled government property—namely, 300 pre-painted iron sheets marked “OPM”—despite having reason to believe that they were obtained through the misappropriation of public resources, an offense under Section 10(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act.
The second count alleges that between February 1, 2023, and March 16, 2023, Lugoloobi similarly dealt with another batch of 300 pre-painted iron sheets under the same circumstances.
The case has been adjourned to May 27 for further proceedings.
