Police re-arrests UPC's Odiya after DPP clears him of treason

Dan Oola Odiya in blue shirt smiling at the Gulu grade one magistrate court last year. Photo by JULIUS OCUNGI

What you need to know:

  • The accused were remanded in June last year at Gulu Central Prison. The charges arose from the attack on UPDF installation in Opit, Lakwan Sub County, Omoro District late May last year.
  • Mr Odiya had been arrested on allegations that he masterminded the attacks where two people were killed and eight guns looted.
  • However before they could kick off with the process, flying squad armed police picked them up in a vehicle, registration no., UAZ 992M and took them to an unknown destination.

GULU

Director of Public Prosecution on Thursday dropped charges against Dan Odiya, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) national deputy mobiliser and two others who had earlier been charged with treason, concealment, murder by shooting and attempted murder.

The accused were remanded in June last year at Gulu Central Prison. The charges arose from the attack on UPDF installation in Opit, Lakwan Sub County, Omoro District late May last year. Mr Odiya was arrested on allegations that he masterminded the attacks where two people were killed and eight guns looted.

In the letter dated January 11, 2017, which Mike J Chibita, DPP wrote to the Chief Magistrate’s Court Gulu, and copied to the Resident State Attorney Gulu and Regional CIID Aswa Region, he informed them that his office has decided to discontinue the proceedings against Odiya and the two others identified as Kenneth Otto and Sam Ojok Obama.

While the accused were appearing before the Gulu Grade One Magistrate, Paul Owino, state prosecutor Gulu, Paul Wepondi, told court that they have received a letter from the office of the DPP, informing him that they have lost intrest in the case against the trio.

Magistrate Owino advised the trio to process the release warrant and be set free.

Re-arrested

However before they could kick off with the process, flying squad armed police picked them up in a vehicle, registration no., UAZ 992M and took them to an unknown destination.
Aswa Region police spokesperson, Jimmy Patrick Okema, said that those who picked them up are police officers who want to have more interviews with them.

“It is true, we have rearrested them and we are going to take them to Kampala Police Headquarters where we shall have fresh interviews with them. We are aware that the DPP has dropped the charges against them, but there is some new information that we want to get from them,” Mr Okema said.

Human Rights advocate, Nicholas Opiyo who is also Mr Odiya’s lawyer, described the police action as ‘rape’ on the court premises.

“I think police and army had a hand in this because the men who abducted my client were armed. Why are they not allowing court to do its work?” he asked, adding that he is going to petition High Court once Odiya is brought back.

Last month, Opiyo and former president for UPC, Olara Otunnu, protested the failure by Gulu Prisons’ authorities to produce Mr Odiya before the Gulu Grade One Magistrate’s Court .

The suspect Odiya was expected to appear before Owino but he was not brought by the prison warders.