By The Anti-Corruption Court on Tuesday 11 November dropped all charges against State Minister for Finance (Planning), Amos Lugoloobi, in the high-profile Karamoja iron sheets case, bringing an end to his two-year legal battle.
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) formally discontinued the case, citing lack of sufficient evidence to proceed, effectively clearing Lugoloobi of any wrongdoing in a scandal that has haunted several senior government officials since 2023.
Visibly emotional and relieved, the minister emerged from court to address journalists, giving glory to God and describing the moment as “a very delicious day” in his life.
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“Gentlemen, the Lord is good… I can’t believe this. I have to sing for the Lord because it must have been His intervention,” Lugoloobi said, breaking into song outside the court premises.
The minister recounted his ordeal since the case was instituted, revealing that the protracted legal process had left him “terribly depressed” and cost him both personally and professionally.
“I was jailed in a terrible police cell at Kira and later taken to Luzira despite producing sureties. The conditions were unbearable,” he said. “But I thank God, because perhaps He wanted me to learn what goes on in such places the human rights violations and the suffering people endure.”
Lugoloobi, who is currently on the campaign trail ahead of the 2026 elections, said the case had severely damaged his reputation and affected his work as a government planner.
“This case was used by my opponents to call me a ‘Mabati thief,’ when actually I was not,” he said. “The iron sheets were allocated to me by the state, through proper channels. I had no knowledge that they belonged to Karamoja.”
He went on to detail the personal toll the case had taken, saying it had affected his finances, travel, and family life.
“My American visa was withdrawn, my children could not travel to the U.S., and my bank accounts were closed. Even my MTN line was blocked,” he recounted. “I lost so much. It was total distress.”
Lugoloobi thanked the DPP for what he described as a fair and just decision, saying it had restored his faith in the justice system.
“I want to thank the DPP who eventually saw that this is an innocent man. I’m happy that I’m discharged and can now campaign freely,” he said.
He also expressed gratitude to President Yoweri Museveni, his family, and his legal team for standing by him through what he called “a period of great suffering and humiliation.”
“These lawyers handled this matter diligently. I recommend them to anyone who has a case in court,” Lugoloobi said,
The Karamoja iron sheets saga erupted in 2023 after it emerged that relief items meant for vulnerable communities in Karamoja had been diverted to several government officials. Lugoloobi was among the first ministers charged with dealing in suspected stolen property.
With Tuesday’s development, the minister now walks free, closing a chapter that once threatened to end his political career.
“I thank God once again for discharging this matter. I am now a free man,” he said, waving to supporters who had gathered outside the court.
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