Investigations into the theft of Karamoja relief iron sheets will be finalized next week, police spokesperson Fred Enanga has said.
Over 12,000 iron sheets meant for Karamoja were irregularly shared between cabinet ministers and other government officials, and public pressure has been mounting on the wrongful beneficiaries to pay for their crimes.
In December 2021, parliament passed a Shs 39 billion supplementary budget to support livelihood programmes in Karamoja. Of this Shs 22 billion was to purchase goats and Shs 5 billion for procuring 100,000 iron sheets but these items have largely been mismanaged.
Key on the list of beneficiaries includes; vice president Jessica Alupo, speaker Anita Among, prime minister Robinah Nabbanja, first deputy prime minister Rebecca Kadaga, Karamoja Affairs minister Goretti Kitutu, third deputy premier Rukia Nakadama, Finance minister Matia Kasaija and the state minister for Primary Education Moriku Kaducu.
Others are Finance state minister Amos Lugoloobi, government chief whip, Hamson Obua, junior Agriculture minister Bwino Kyagulaga, Karamoja state affairs minister Agnes Nandutu, and Central Youth MP Agnes Kirabo among others.
Last month, the Karamoja parliamentary group formally wrote to the clerk of parliament, notifying him of their intent to file a notice of motion for the censure of the Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Goretti Kitutu.
Although the presidential and foreign affairs committee chaired by Adjumani District Woman MP Jesca Ababiku had started probing the scandal, President Museveni also directed the CID and the State House House Anti-corruption unit to jointly carry out investigations.
“The joint task team is sitting at Kibuli police headquarters, it will be comprising detectives from CID, State House Anti-corruption unit, and officers from the office of the DPP will be involved, to carry another probe and its report will be compared to the report from parliamentary committee currently carrying its investigations,” said police spokesperson Fred Enanga said last month.
Enanga has now revealed that the investigations will be complete in the remaining two weeks.
“The task team investigating the alleged theft of iron sheets is expected to record the final statements from suspects this week by Friday, and also the teams that were sent in Karamoja region, are expected to be back with their field reports and evidence they have gathered,” Enanga revealed.
He explained that the remaining part of technical compilation of reports will be concluded in the other week before it is handed over to the director of public prosecutions (DPP) to guide on who will be apprehended and charged in court.
“We shall be waiting for the opinion of the DPP and guidance on who will be apprehended and face laws and those who are not culprits, and we shall be giving out this information in two weeks’ time,” Enanga.