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Policeman remanded over stealing impounded motorbike
Police Constable (PC) Michael Ahabwe gestures as he appears at Buganda Road Court in Kampala on Febuary 27, 2024. PHOTO/ABUBAKER LUBOWA
What you need to know:
- In a separate file, he is also accused of stealing a metallic gate valued at Shs1million and electricity materials whose cost is estimated over Shs1million.
Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court Tuesday remanded a policeman to Luzira Prison on charges of alleged motorbike theft.
Michael Ahabwe, who is attached to Amolatar Police Station and resident of its barracks or Andrew's Village in Kakiika Ward in Mbarara District, appeared before Grade One Magistrate Sienna Owomugisha who read the charge of theft to him on February 27.
The 37-year-old officer denied the charge slapped against him by the state but was remanded after notifying court that his sureties were absent from court.
"You have a right to apply for bail. The case is bailable by this court. Since you do not have sureties in court, and the investigations are still ongoing, the case is adjourned to March 11 and you are remanded until then,” Owomugisha held.
Prosecution led by Lydia Nakato states that on March 4,2022 at New Master stage-Equatorial Mall along Bombo Road in Kampala’s Central Division, Ahabwe stole a red Bajaj motorcycle valued at Shs5million.
The said motorcycle was property of Samuel Waswa Walusimbi.
According to court records, Ahabwe impounded the said motorcycle from Equatorial Mall during routine traffic enforcement and was due to take it to the Central Police Station parking Yard.
However, he failed to fulfill the task that was given to him thus disappearing and was declared a police deserter.
Ahabwe then secured work as a security guard with SGA Security Company where he also stole electricity materials worth Shs1million which led to his arrest.
In a separate file, Ahabwe is accused of stealing two angle rail bars and a metallic small gate all valued at Shs1million on February 10, 2024. The items belonged to Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited (UETCL). He was yet to take plea by the end of Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Ahabwe faces a maximum punishment of ten years imprisonment upon conviction for the offence of theft under the Ugandan law.
