Ex-minister Kitutu iron sheets trial further delayed, adjourned to October

What the report says

The Anti-Corruption Court has postponed the corruption trial of former Karamoja Affairs minister Mary Gorretti Kitutu, pushing the next hearing to October 12, 2026. Kitutu appeared in court on Monday with her former personal assistant, Joshua Abaho, before Justice David Makumbi. Her brother, Michael Naboya Kitutu, who is also charged in the case, did not attend.

According to The Observer, the delay was linked in part to confusion over a bail document that listed an impossible return date of September 31, 2026. Kitutu’s lawyer said Naboya, who lives in Namisindwa district, had not come because of that error. Prosecutors asked the court to issue criminal summons to require his attendance. Justice Makumbi also asked for an update on Kitutu’s appeal at the Court of Appeal, where she is challenging an earlier ruling that dismissed her claim that her rights were violated during arrest and investigation.

The court extended bail for Kitutu and her co-accused and said the trial should await the appeal outcome. The case has been stalled for nearly two years. The underlying allegations are that iron sheets meant for the Karamoja Community Empowerment Programme were diverted from government stores in Namanve and passed to third parties. Kitutu has denied the accusations. As background, the article notes that other figures linked to the broader iron sheets scandal have faced different outcomes, including conviction and acquittal in related cases.