Bukedea RDC, DPC arrested over LC5 election mess
Bukedea Resident District Commissioner, Mr Wilberforce Tukei, and the District Police Commander SP Charles Okoto. Photos | Courtesy | Anti-Corruption Unit
What you need to know:
- The two officers who were arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit personnel commanded by Brig Gen Henry Isoke, are accused of superintending over the ballot stuffing and arrest of opponents in the by-election held on June 14, 2023.
The Bukedea Resident District Commissioner, Mr Wilberforce Tukei, and the District Police Commander SP Charles Okoto were Monday evening arrested over flaws that marred the recently concluded LC5 chairperson by-election.
The two officers who were arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit personnel commanded by Brig Gen Henry Isoke, are accused of superintending over the ballot stuffing and arrest of opponents in the by-election held on June 14, 2023.
Ms Miriam Natasha, the spokesperson for the Unit, confirmed the arrest, saying they are being held pending further investigation into the flaws that saw thousands of the people not able to exercise their right to vote as security and government officials voted on their behalf.
The inquest into the Bukedea LC5 by-election has been caused following the letter by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni dated June 26, 2023, to the head of the state house anti-corruption unit, Brig Gen Henry Isoke, to investigate the alleged irregularities that marred the June 14, 2023, Bukedea LC5 by-election.
The arrest brings the total of arrested persons in the district over related charges, to eight.
The first arrest was done on Tuesday last week. They (five people) were subsequently arraigned in court on Wednesday and charged with murder and aggravated robberies.
The officers who appeared before the grade one magistrate Juliana Kimono are, Alex Enguloit, the head of crime intelligence at Bukedea CPS, Simon Onesmus Akankwasa, Simon Peter Oriokot, Difas Kamakoin, Born Naibei, all police officers attached at Bukedea Central Police Station.
The sixth person, Daniel Malinga, a councillor for Emokor ward in Bukedea town council, was arrested on Friday.
Mr Alex Enguloit, head of crime intelligence at Bukedea CPS, is accused of the murder of Paul Anguria and Michael Ojangole.
The two deceased persons are part of the suspects who died in the police cells under mysterious circumstances in early 2022. The duo had been arrested over a murder case in Kachumabala but before they were arraigned in court they were found dead in Bukedea CPS cells.
Mr Alex Enguloit was also jointly charged with the other 4 of 2 different aggravated robberies.
In count one, her worship Juliana Kimono stated that Alex Enguliot, Simon Peter Oriokot, Born Naaibei, Difas Kamakoin and Onesimus Akankwasa on June 4, 2023, robbed, David Steven Omagor of Shs163M on eve of the nomination day on June 5, 2023.
In count two, the 5 officers are said to have subsequently robbed one Beatrice Anyait of Shs15m on the eve of the nomination day that started on June 5, 2023.
Although seven people had shown interest to replace Moses Olemukani who died in December last year, due to intimidation from NRM big wings in Bukedea, only three got nominated. They included; Mary Akol of NRM, Sam Oita Odeke of FDC and Lokwiisk Tychicus Ebukalin independent.
Ms Akol was declared the winner with 79,692 votes, beating Odeke who garnered 2,343 votes, while Ebukalin got 4,941 votes.
