By The Anti-Corruption Court has ordered an independent medical assessment of Bududa Woman MP Agnes Nandutu after she failed to take the stand on Monday, citing ill health. The order, issued by Justice Jane Kajuga, mandates that either Mulago National Referral Hospital or Nakasero Hospital evaluate and submit a comprehensive report on the MP’s fitness to stand trial.
The directive follows a dramatic courtroom session in which Nandutu, through her defense lawyer Charles Nanda, claimed she was too ill to proceed with her testimony. Court resumed at 1:30 PM after an earlier adjournment, only for the defense to report that the legislator had been advised to rest by her doctors and was in no condition to participate in trial proceedings.
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“She is not in a position to proceed,” Nanda told the court. “Her medical team has recommended strict rest, and we have not been able to finalize trial preparations due to her condition.”
Nandutu, visibly emotional, addressed the court directly and tearfully pleaded for understanding, revealing that her condition had worsened following a recent change in medication. “If I don’t complete this treatment, I could die,” she said, asking the court for privacy in discussing the specific details of her illness. “I cannot disclose my condition here in public, especially with men present. It is a private matter.”
In response, Justice Kajuga expressed concern over the lack of clarity surrounding the MP’s health and the apparent contradictions in medical reports submitted earlier, one of which had stated she was fit to stand trial. “We need clarity,” she said firmly. “This process cannot continue based on conflicting claims. The last medical report indicated she was ready to proceed, yet she said otherwise. We must settle this.”
The judge criticized the defense for what she described as consistent delays in the trial, suggesting that the legal team had not demonstrated sufficient effort to move the case forward. “I am disappointed in the lawyers,” she said. “The court cannot tolerate what appears to be deliberate attempts to stall proceedings.”
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The court has given the hospitals two weeks to file a detailed medical report outlining Nandutu’s current condition and advising on whether she is fit to participate in her trial. Justice Kajuga stressed that the matter must be resolved promptly, warning the defense against using medical claims as a delay tactic.
Agnes Nandutu, a former journalist turned politician, is facing corruption-related charges over her alleged involvement in the mismanagement of iron sheets meant for vulnerable communities in the Karamoja sub-region. She is among several senior officials implicated in the scandal, which sparked national outrage in 2023 when relief materials intended for poverty-stricken districts were found in the possession of high-ranking politicians and civil servants.
Nandutu has consistently denied the charges and insists that she is being unfairly targeted. Her legal team has maintained that she received the iron sheets in an official capacity and did not divert them for personal use.
The trial, which has already faced several delays, will resume once the court receives and reviews the findings of the medical evaluation.
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