As the “iron sheet scandal” continues to rock the country’s political establishment, with more high-profile figures coming under scrutiny in the recent months, the Director of Public Prosecutions(DPP), Jane Abodo, on Saturday, 24th dropped the charges that were arraigned on seventeen top government officials concerning the iron sheet saga that broke out in the early months of the year.
“We cannot charge them just because the public wants to see the speaker of parliament taking plea,” Said the Director of Public Prosecutions, Jane Abodo.
The scandal which involves the diversion of iron sheets that were meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja region, has raised concerns after top government officials were accused of misappropriating the materials for their own benefit. For instance a pile of those iron sheets went to the speaker of parliament’s private primary school.
The DPP has dropped charges on some of the top government officials whose names were tagged along with the scandal. Though she did not mention their names, she hinted on the Prime Minister and the speaker of parliament, saying “There was no criminal element with these ministers,” she further added that “some of them didn’t even know that the iron sheets were for Karamoja.”
Though it is highly unlikely that these top officials did not know that the iron sheets were meant for the vulnerable people in Karamoja even after them passing the motion in parliament to supply vulnerable people In Karamoja with iron sheets and goats. The office of the DPP will play under the tune of the government to drop all charges that have been brought on to the top officials with claims of lack of substantial evidence.
“For us we looked at the evidence generally,” She said.
The DPP has already committed one junior minister to the High Court, while two other ministers have been arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court. However, the police has been waiting for the office of the DPP to come up with appropriate conclusions that will guide their next step.
“We are now waiting for the DPP to evaluate the case files and come up with appropriate conclusions that will guide our next course of action,” Enanga added.
Attention had turned to the Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, who has been lying low in recent weeks as the scandal continued to unfold. Among, who is also the Bukedea District Woman MP, has admitted to receiving 500 iron sheets intended for Karamoja, but claims to have bought replacement sheets as penance. However, a delivery note from the Office of the Prime Minister reveals that Among’s private school in Bukedea actually received the 500 sheets in June 2022, raising questions about her involvement in the scandal.
Among has faced criticism in the past over irregular appointments at Parliament and the conduct of elections for the East Africa Legislative Assembly. However, the iron sheet scandal is by far the most serious test of her leadership to date. Despite being a wealthy benefactor and powerful figure in the ruling NRM party, Among risked losing her position as Speaker if she was implicated in the scandal.
President Yoweri Museveni has expressed anger over the scandal, but has yet to comment on the involvement of high-profile figures such as Vice President Jessica Alupo and Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja. Museveni was reportedly “irked” that the implicated ministers were present when the cabinet passed a resolution to purchase iron sheets and goats for Karamoja.
Corruption remains a significant challenge in the country, and scandals like the “iron sheet saga” only serve to erode public trust in government institutions.
