Police in Uganda arrest another minister in iron sheet scandal

KAMPALA, Uganda

Police in Uganda arrested a third minister Tuesday on allegations of stealing iron sheets meant for disadvantaged residents.

Minister of State for Karamoja Affairs, Agnes Nadutu, was arrested and is a key suspect who had gone into hiding two days ago when she learned she was among those to be arrested for the misappropriation of iron sheets meant for the Karamoja region in northeastern Uganda, according to police.

Nandutu is suspected to be among those who shared 12,000 iron sheets which have landed more than one dozen ministers and government officials in hot water.

Initial investigations by police discovered that Nandutu received 1,000 iron sheets. She recently returned the sheets to government stores and went into hiding until she turned herself over to the police and was arrested.

Nandutu is currently being held at the Criminal Investigations Department headquarters in Kampala from where she will be taken to court Wednesday.

Cabinet Minister for Karamoja Affairs Mary Kitutu was jailed April 6 in the same case. Then on April 17, Minister of State for Finance Planning Amos Lugoloobi was sent to prison for stealing iron sheets.