Published on 17/11/2025
Lawmakers have sharply criticised the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Lino Anguzu, for withdrawing corruption charges against Minister of State for Planning, Amos Lugoloobi, a move they say undermines public trust and weakens the fight against graft.
Erute South MP Jonathan Odur said the explanation for withdrawing the case “must meet a higher threshold” than what the public has been told. “You cannot withdraw a criminal case simply because someone’s ‘eyes, teeth, or ears are yellow’. That is not a legal basis for abandoning prosecution,” Odur said, describing the decision as “an insult to Ugandans whose money has been wasted.”
The MPs spoke to journalists at Parliament on 12 November 2025. Others who weighed in included Workers MPs Charles Bakkabulindi and Abdulhu Byakatonda, as well as Musa Noah (Koboko North).
Odur questioned how the same office that sanctioned the charges would now pull out after the Anti-Corruption Court had already put Lugoloobi on defence. “If there was no evidence, the DPP should never have sanctioned the charges. This is an abuse of power, justice must serve Ugandans, not individuals,” he said.
Justice Jane Kajuga formally ended the proceedings after the DPP entered a nolle prosequi, ordering that Lugoloobi’s bail money and land titles be refunded. Lugoloobi had been accused of dealing with more than 700 iron sheets meant for vulnerable households in Karamoja, some of which were found roofing a goat shed on his farm in Kayunga.
Odur argued that Article 120 of the Constitution requires the DPP to act independently and in the public interest. “Withdrawing such cases sends a dangerous message: that those who misuse public resources can walk away untouched,” he warned.
Koboko North MP Musa Noah said the DPP should be given benefit of doubt but admitted the withdrawal “does not help the fight against corruption.” “It would have been better to let the case run to its logical conclusion. Ending it midstream raises questions and sets a bad precedent,” he said.
“Now people expect other ministers to walk free too, this is not good for public confidence.” He added that the timing, during an election cycle, raises suspicion that the decision could bolster the minister’s political prospects.
Workers MP Charles Bakkabulindi backed the DPP, arguing that Lugoloobi was being unfairly targeted when others implicated in the iron sheets saga were not facing the same pressure. “What was so unique about Lugoloobi? If the others were not prosecuted, then dropping his case was long overdue,” he said.
He also claimed the minister had suffered significant psychological distress from the charges, especially as he seeks re-election. “Carrying such a label during campaigns is damaging. I think the DPP simply concluded the case was not worth pursuing,” he said.
Bakkabulindi went as far as dismissing the allegations as non-criminal: “Where is the corruption? If a colleague gives you items to help your community, is that corruption? If we go that far, even talking becomes corruption,” he said.
Workers MP Abdulhu Byakatonda rejected claims of political interference: “A person is innocent until proven guilty. Investigators must have found another angle. Human rights are inherent, and every accused person deserves a fair hearing,” he argued.
While Lugoloobi now walks free, his co-accused, Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, both former ministers for Karamoja Affairs, continue to face charges at the Anti-Corruption Court.
Kitutu is accused of causing loss of public property, while Nandutu faces charges of dealing with suspect property. Both have pleaded not guilty.
