Court orders arrest of Kampala deputy RCC for hiding suspect
In a session presided over by Buganda Road Magistrate Asuman Muhumuza an arrest warrant was issued to Hajjat Ntege after the prosecutor Ms Patricia Chingtho told court that the accused has declined to honour court summons four times.
Court has issued an on spot warrant of arrest to the Deputy Kampala Resident City Commissioner (RCC) to answer charges in connection to shielding a suspect implicated in the Shs4.2b bicycle scam.
Hajjat Hawa Ntege is accused of obstructing police officers from executing the arrest the former Principal Civil Engineer in the Ministry of Works, Robert Kakiiza, who had escaped trial before the Anti-Corruption court, where a death certificate falsifying his passing was presented.
In a session presided over by Buganda Road Magistrate Asuman Muhumuza an arrest warrant was issued to Hajjat Ntege after the prosecutor Ms Patricia Chingtho told court that the accused has declined to honour court summons four times.
Mr Kakiiza vanished following corruption charges preferred against him for causing a financial loss to the government in the infamous bicycle deal scandal.
The RCC through her attorney, Mr Harris Harimwomugasho, acknowledges receipt of summons.
Police records state that after Eng Kakiiza spending nine years in his hideout, a whistle-blower did tip-off the State House Anti-Corruption Unit that he is actually still alive and has been seen with Hajjat Ntege.
The alert prompted Lt Col Edith Nakalema to contact the RCC to surrender Eng Kakiiza to Police detectives to answers the charges.
However, the RCC persuaded Lt Col Nakalema to think that the then fugitive (Kakiiza) had since left her office and he was to return on March 29, 2019 yet he was still in that office at Embassy house building along Parliamentary Avenue.
When officers from Lt Col Nakalema’s dashed to RCC’s office they found Eng Kakiiza still in her company. Then the RCC tried to frustrate the officer from effecting the arrest of the engineer.
These officers decided to arrest both the RCC and Eng Kakiiza who was presented before Justice Lawrence Gidudu to stand trial for his alleged involvement in the botched purchase of 70,000 bicycles to be used by parish and village local council chairpersons in the 2011 general elections.
The Eng Kakiiza’s co-accused including John Muhanguzi Kashaka, the former Ministry of Local Government Permanent Secretary, among others were found guilty of embezzling Shs4.2b and are currently in jail serving imprisonment terms ranging from 1 to 13 years.
The trial magistrate Mr Muhumuza has adjourned the matter to March 5.
