KASESE CHIEF MAGISTRATE REMANDS 18 MURDER SUSPECTS TO MUBUKU PRISON

The Kasese Chief Magistrate Ms Agatonica Mbabazi has remanded 18 people to Mubuku government prison until May 3, on charges of murder.

The group was arrested during a recent operation carried out by security agencies in, ponmdwe-Lubiriha town council, Karambi and Nyakiyumba sub-counties.

The operation codenamed CLEAR UCHAFU was commanded by the Kasese district chairman Lt. Col. Mawa Muhindo following waves of armed robberies and murder of business people in areas near the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The suspects include, Police Constable Mr. Joshua Muhindo, Swalleh Muhindo, Amza Salimboko, Ali Kato ,Watsema Moses, Saturday Pedson, Bwambale Solomon, Kamba;e Malekani, Masika ANIFA, Muhindo Harriet and Musinguzi Deo.

Others are, Mugabe Aggrey Mugarura, Kombi Kasyakulu Kapuru, Thembo Milio, Masereka Rabson, Kibaya Vincent,  Masereka Joseph, Kaija Muthende Godfrey and Bwambale Francis.

The suspects were paraded before the Chief Magistrate on Friday and charged with five counts of Murder, stealing with a gun, attempted murder, possession of illegal fire arms and possession of illegal ammunitions.

Prosecution alleges that on March 27, 2013 while at Kamasasa village in Karambi sub-county, the group shot dead Julius Kisembo Bafera a coffee dealer, injured his wife before stealing Shillings 18M from his home.

Meanwhile, Swalleh Muhindo, Amza Salimboko, Moses Watsema and Ali Kato have been charged separately with the murder of the late Mughongo Saturday at Kinyamaseke town board on January 3^rd.

However, the Chief Magistrate said did not allow the suspects to take people on both accounts and charges because her court does not have the jurisdiction to hear capital offenses. She remanded them to Mubuku government prison until May 3.

The Chief Magistrate also ordered for the medical examinations of all the suspects  who complained to have been tortured during arrest and in police custody.

The Magistrate then ordered the prison officials to make sure all suspects complaining of torture are examined and those sick treated and have a report back to court on May 3.

The commander of the Operation “clear Uchafu” Lt. Col. Mawa Muhindo said that he was happy with the step taken by court adding that it is good for the law to take its course on suspects of any nature.

Lt. Col. Mawa said that more of the suspects still at large are being pursued until they are apprehended and handed over to court for trial.   END.

33 REMANDED FOR IDLE AND DISIORDERLY IN KASESE

The Grade Two Magistrate Court sitting at Kisinga on Thursday has remanded thirty three people to Nyabirongo prison until Monday.

The suspects who appeared before the Grade Two Magistrate Mr. Didas were rounded up last night at Kinyamaseke town board as part of the ongoing operation codenamed “CLEAR UCHAFU”.

This operation was led by the Kasese district chairman Lt. Col. Mawa Muhindo in conjunction with police.

Court heard that the suspected charged with Idle and disorderly were netted in a disco at Kinyamaseke town board at about 4 am on Thursday morning.

19 of them pleaded guilty to the charges as the rest denied them.

The Magistrate remanded all of them until Monday when the sentence and trial will be held respectively.

Speaking to Kasese Guide Radio shortly after court, the District Chairman Lt. Col. Mawa Muhindo said more will be arrested to ensure a society free from criminals.

He said that such people who stay in bars until down are likely to be aiding the rampant theft of live stock.

END

KASESE WOMAN MP IN HOT SOUP OVER MURDER COMMENTS

Kasese woman Member of Parliament Winfred Kiiza has been summoned by the Criminal Investigations and Intelligence headquarters of police at Kibuli to answer queries over a press conference she held in Kasese town last year.

In a summon issued by the Emmanuel Mbonimba on behalf of the  CIID dated April 15^th, Winfred Kiiza is supposed to respond over issues she raised in a press conference she held at the Rwenzori the Gardens Hotel in Kasese town on September 22, 2012 complaining about lack of police reports on the rampant murders in Kasese.

According to the summon that was sent through the office of the Speaker of Parliament, Kiiza was supposed to appear on Thursday at 2pm at the CIID headquarters in Kibuli.

She is being required to give more details to the police about the concerns she raised about the killings during the press conference.

However, the MP who confirmed receiving the summons did not appear at the CIID today after her lawyer Mr. Wandera Ogalo asked for the postponement of the grilling.

According to Kiiza, her lawyer rang the CIID bosses saying they were not ready to appear because of other engagements at parliament.

She will then appear before the detectives on Monday at 2pm. END

POLICE MOVES TO BLOCK RWENZURURU KING FROM VISITING KASENYI LANDING SITE.

Police has deployed heavily along the Kasese-Mbarara highway to block the Rwenzururu King Charles Wesley Mumbere to go to Kasenyi landing site on Lake George to preside over the Kingdom’s environmental and hero’s day.

King Mumbere’s intended visit has been contested by the minority ethnicities that include the Basongora, Bachingwe, Bagabo and Banyabindi who claim they do not pay allegiance to Rwenzururu Kingdom.

They claim to be behind the embattled Busongora Kingdom leader Ivan Bwebale Rutakirwa who was crowned on July 1^st last year at a secret event at Muhokya trading center five kilometers from Kasese town.

Despite, an agreement in a meeting between the two parties and the police on Thursday that changed King Mumbere’s venue from Kasenyi to Katunguru landing site, he and the youth wing have insisted on the original destination.

 The Rwenzori regional police Commander Mr. Wilson Kwanya has this morning issued a press statement vowing to block any cultural function to take place at Kasenyi landing site since the area is contested by many parties.

Police insists they will give security to King Mumbere and his subjects as they go to Katunguru landing site as agreed earlier.

However, the mood in Kasese town now is different from the setting of the police as groups of Banyarwenzururu prepare transport to Kasenyi despite warnings from the police.

Police on the other hand say they fear that any advances by the Banyarwenzururu to Kasenyi landing site may result into demonstrations by both the Bakonzo and the minority tribes leading to accidents, interruption of business activities and destruction of tourism since the venue is deep inside the Queen Elzabeth National park.

But majority of the Rwenzururu subjects seem to have taken heed of the press statement from the First Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Ivan Syauswa urging them to come in big numbers accompanying King Mumbere to the disputed venue. END.

17 SO FAR HELD AND ONE GUN RECOVERED IN THE KASESE JOINT SECURITY OPERATIONS

At least seventeen suspects have been arrested by the different security organs currently carrying out operations in Bukonzo West Constituency to get rid of thugs that have been killing people and taking away with their property.

Operations started on Monday after the Chairman LC 5 Kasese Lt. Col. Mawa Muhindo led the arrest of two businessmen who have been selling stolen meat at the Mpondwe border post and also reportedly involving in armed robbery.

After their arrest, the security organs that include the police and the Uganda people’s defense forces embarked on operations to arrest the rest of the people thought to be involved in the racket.

The UPDF 2^nd Division Public Relations Officer Lt. Ninsiima Rwemizuma reveals that so far seventeen people including a woman have been arrested in the areas of Mpondwe-Lubiriha town council, Karambi and Nyakiyumbu sub-county.

One gun with over fifty rounds of ammunitions has been recovered in the process.

Lt. Ninsiima says operations continue until the rest of the racket members who have since fled to the Democratic Republic of Congo are reprimanded.

Lt. Ninsiima says that upon interrogation, some of the suspects who have been disguising in business activities have confessed to shooting dead most of the people who have been killed in the last two years.  He says that information got so far reveals that they also killed one of their own called Muthengera after betraying them on a coffee theft deal.

It is said they reportedly told the security operatives that it is Muthengera who also murdered self-employed Journalist Amon Thembo Wa’Mupaghasya in early May 2012.

Lt. Ninsiima who claims that the suspects will be paraded to court soon says there is hope that more suspects and guns will be got in the near future.

He warned people of Kasese against hiding information that would have led to the arrest of suspected criminals before the killing of innocent businessmen became rampant.

So far, at least eleven people have been killed by shooting in Bukonzo West Constituency in the period of two years.  END