Police to Conclude Investigations into the Iron Sheets Scandal Next Week.

The police are nearing the end of their investigations into the iron sheets scandal and will soon hand over their findings to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

Over the past three weeks, detectives have been conducting interviews with individuals who were either intended to receive or improperly received the iron sheets, primarily in Karamoja and other locations throughout the country.

According to the police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, the interviews with both the suspects and victims involved in the iron sheets scandal will be concluded by the end of this week. Following this, an analysis of the information gathered during the interviews will be conducted in the following week.

“The case file will be taken to the DPP for perusal. It is the DPP who will determine who should be charged with what offence or who shouldn’t be charged,” Mr Enanga said on Monday.

In the 2021/2022 Financial Year, the government requested additional funds to purchase iron sheets and goats for individuals impacted by drought and cattle raids in the Karamoja region. The Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) was entrusted with the distribution of the iron sheets; however, some ministers and Members of Parliament (MPs) who were not from Karamoja received a portion of them. Some ministers reportedly utilized the iron sheets to construct sheds on their personal farms, while other officials distributed the iron sheets to their relatives for sale.

After the mismanagement of funds and distribution of items intended for individuals affected by drought and cattle raids in Karamoja came to light last month, various government agencies, such as the Inspector General of Government (IGG), State House, and Parliament, initiated their own investigations into the matter. Two weeks ago, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) instructed the police to take charge of the government's investigation. Recently, detectives recovered the iron sheets from the home of a minister's relatives, indicating that progress is being made in the investigation.

According to Mr. Enanga, some leaders who had received the iron sheets irregularly directed the detectives to their location, and the police were able to recover them. These iron sheets have now become part of the exhibits in the case.