Case against businessman Abid pushed to September
Free. Businessman Abid Alam. Photo | File
Kampala- The case in which businessman Abid Alam and a senior police officer are accused of conspiring to defeat justice following alleged unlawful release of information has been deferred.
Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday extended the trial of Mr Abid and Mr Wilber Osteen Wanyama, the former Regional Police boss of Wamala Region in Kasanda District, to September 9 to allow prosecution conclude investigations into the matter.
The accused appeared before Ms Ketty Joan Acaa, the Grade One Magistrate, for mentioning of their case.
They are charged with the offence of unlawfully releasing confidential information in a case file, but they have since denied any wrongdoing.
It is alleged that the duo committed the offence on April 8 between Mityana Regional Police Office and Ntinda, a Kampala suburb, but they have since denied the charges.
State House Anti-Corruption Unit arrested Mr Abid in April over destruction of property in a land dispute with some residents in Kasanda.
Prosecution contends that Mr Wanyama being police officer on April 8, conspired with Mr Abid to defeat the course of justice by unlawfully releasing confidential information in a case file to the latter.
The charges stem from atrocities allegedly committed by a group of people attached to the businessman.
The group was accused of gang raping a woman before they destroyed banana plantations, robbed property and battered residents of Bukoba and Bukompe villages, among others.
On April 16, Mr Abid and Mr Wanyama were remanded to prison jointly with three other police officers; Peter Baitera Muhanuza, Daniel Robert Ogellan and Wilson Azale.
However, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions has since withdrawn charges against the three policemen.
Area MP Simeo Nsubuga said during the attack, the assailants injured one Samuel Kyakabale, a cattle keeper and gang-raped his wife as he and his children watched helplessly.
