KAMPALA,UGANDA; 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.
Before the defence team could make its submissions, it sought leave of court to allow the former television journalist to personally address the court.
“I would like to express my remorse to the people of Karamoja and the appointing authority. Please forgive me,” Nandutu said.
Nandutu also prayed for a non-custodial sentence, citing her deteriorating health condition.
She told court that she has lumps in her lungs which occasionally cause her to lose consciousness.
She added that she is a single mother of seven children and the sole caregiver to her 81-year-old mother.
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.
However, the prosecution maintained its stance, asking court to impose a sentence of not less than five years.
It argued that the iron sheets remained in Nandutu’s possession for nine months, indicating that the offence was premeditated.
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.
After hearing submissions from both the prosecution and the defence, trial judge Jane Okuo ordered that court reconvenes at 3pm for final sentencing.
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