DPP, city businessman clash over suspects’ file
DPP Justice Jane Abodo. PHOTO / FILE
What you need to know:
- Mr Muhammad Katimbo contends that a number of suspects were arrested over attempts to grab his Kyaggwe land at Block 188, Plot 18, 23 and 24 located on Kayunga-Mukono road, but only one has been charged with the rest being at large.
- He claims Ms Christine Nakityaba alongside their lawyer, Mr Eric Kiyingi, are still missing while Mr Eliya Nabbimba is the only one who has since been charged and sent to Kitalya prison.
A city businessman has accused the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) of declining to release a file in which three people are accused of attempting to grab his land.
Mr Muhammad Katimbo contends that a number of suspects were arrested over attempts to grab his Kyaggwe land at Block 188, Plot 18, 23 and 24 located on Kayunga-Mukono road, but only one has been charged with the rest being at large.
He claims Ms Christine Nakityaba alongside their lawyer, Mr Eric Kiyingi, are still missing while Mr Eliya Nabbimba is the only one who has since been charged and sent to Kitalya prison.
The contested land had been earmarked by Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA) for the Kampala-Jinja Expressway.
The controversy began in April when detectives from the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) submitted the file to the senior resident state attorney of Makindye Court implicating the trio for allegedly grabbing Mr Katimbo’s land.
Arrests
The state attorney directed police officers to arrest the trio given the overwhelming evidence on the file.
However, the officers only arrested Mr Nabbimba and Ms Nakityaba and detained them at Jinja Road police station on April 7.
The duo was supposed to be arraigned in Makindye Court the following day.
However, upon reaching the court, it is alleged that an official from the office of the UNRA ordered for the release of the suspects without any reason.
This prompted Mr Katimbo to petition the office of the DPP, who in turn, ordered for the rearrest of the suspects.
Nabbimba was arrested but the other two suspects disappeared.
He was arraigned before Makindye court and remanded to Kitalya prison.
Consequently, the office of the DPP, recalled for the file from Makindye Court, a move that has seen the businessman protest.
When contacted, the DPP spokesperson, Ms Jacquelyn Okui, confirmed receipt of the file, but said a decision will soon be taken over the same file.
“A decision has not yet been taken in respect of the matter,” Ms Okui stated in a text.
But she declined to explain why the matter has taken long to be resolved, saying: “Our officers are still studying it and we will let you know when it is ready.”
