36 Chinese nationals remanded to Kitalya prison

In observance of national guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the court session was conducted in the compound to ensure social-distancing. Photo by Abubaker Lubowa

What you need to know:

  • There was confusion on where to remand the suspects due to coronavirus scare, but later, the CID boss Grace Akullo and state prosecutor Ivan Kyazze consulted with relevant authorities and agreed that the group be remanded to Kitalya prison along Mityana road.

36 Chinese were on Friday arraigned before Buganda Road Court and charged with various offenses ranging from; unlawfully procuring of 1895 Airtel sim-cards, carrying on businesses in Uganda without trading licenses, being in unlawful possession of wild life protected species, and having suspected stolen property.

The Chinese who are said to have committed the offenses between last year in October and March this year, appeared before grade one magistrate Marion Mangeni who read the charges to them with the help of an interpreter.

However, in observance of national guidelines to prevent the spread of coronavirus, the court session was conducted in the compound to ensure social-distancing.

Meanwhile, 33 of these Chinese nationals pleaded guilty to the charges relating to unlawful procurement of sim-cards and being in possession of suspected stolen property.

There was confusion on where to remand the suspects due to coronavirus scare, but later, the CID boss Grace Akullo and state prosecutor Ivan Kyazze consulted with relevant authorities and agreed that the group be remanded to Kitalya prison along Mityana road.

Those that pleaded guilty to the charges will return to court on April 31 for sentencing and the rest will return on April 9 to take their pleas.