The High Court’s Anti-Corruption Division on Tuesday rejected an application filed by Karamoja Affairs Minister Mary Goretti Kitutu seeking to halt her trial in the iron sheets scandal. Kitutu had alleged torture and coercion to write a police statement, but the court found her claims unsubstantiated and lacking supporting evidence.
This ruling clears the path for Kitutu to face trial for her alleged role in diverting over 10,000 iron sheets intended for the impoverished Karamoja region. The court determined that Kitutu’s application was not only devoid of evidence but also riddled with falsehoods, as police testimony consistently refutes the allegations of torture, abuse, or forced statement writing.
Kitutu faces charges alongside her brother, Michael Naboya Kitutu, and her personal assistant, Joshua Abaho. The trio stands accused of causing loss of public property, possessing stolen property, and corruption, respectively.
The charges stem from the misappropriation of 14,500 iron sheets procured by the government to empower vulnerable Karamoja communities.