KAMPALA, April 10 (Xinhua) -- A Ugandan court on Friday sentenced Agnes Nandutu, former state minister for Karamoja affairs, to four years in prison for misusing public resources.

The Anti-Corruption Court, sitting in the capital, Kampala, also barred Nandutu from holding any public office for 10 years.

Nandutu was convicted for her role in the diversion of 2,000 iron sheets intended for vulnerable communities in the semi-arid northeastern region of Karamoja.

Before the ruling, the former state minister pleaded for leniency and forgiveness.

Nandutu is among several senior government officials, including ministers, who were charged with diverting iron sheets meant for the Karamoja region for personal use. ■