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Former Minister for Karamoja, Agnes Nandutu, has asked for pardon from the people of Karamoja, the President, and her constituents in an emotional address before court ahead of her sentencing.<\/p>\n
Before the defence team could make its submissions, it sought leave of court to allow the former television journalist to personally address the court.<\/p>\n
“I would like to express my remorse to the people of Karamoja and the appointing authority. Please forgive me,” Nandutu said.<\/p>\n
\n Nandutu also prayed for a non-custodial sentence, citing her deteriorating health condition.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n She told court that she has lumps in her lungs which occasionally cause her to lose consciousness.<\/p>\n She added that she is a single mother of seven children and the sole caregiver to her 81-year-old mother.<\/p>\n In her plea for leniency, Nandutu told court that she had returned the iron sheets and paid in cash for those that were missing, urging the court to consider this as a mitigating factor in sentencing.<\/p>\n However, the prosecution maintained its stance, asking court to impose a sentence of not less than five years.<\/p>\n It argued that the iron sheets remained in Nandutu’s possession for nine months, indicating that the offence was premeditated.<\/p>\n The prosecution also dismissed the defence’s argument that returning the iron sheets should warrant leniency, contending that it was only after police intervention that the legislator handed them back.<\/p>\n After hearing submissions from both the prosecution and the defence, trial judge Jane Okuo ordered that court reconvenes at 3pm for final sentencing.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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