Former OC Kibuli Police Station on the spot for vandalising car exhibits
What you need to know:
- AIP Fred Manyinya, who is currently on bail is facing four counts of stealing motor vehicle spare parts. He is facing these charges alongside Simon Katamba Ssemakula.
A police officer has testified against his former boss, the ex- Officer in Charge (OC) of Kibuli Police Station, for vandalising car exhibits that were parked at the station.
AIP Fred Manyinya, who is currently on bail is charged with four counts of stealing motor vehicle spare parts. He is facing these charges alongside Simon Katamba Ssemakula.
Detective Corporal (D/CPL) Moris Din Oyet in his testimony before Buganda Road Court Magistrate, Stella Maris Amabilis, told court that on February 18, at about 10 am, he reported for duty at Kibuli police and found that one of the vehicles was missing an engine.
D/CPL Oyet said he inquired from the police officers at the counter, who had worked the previous night and they told him that OC Manyinya came with about five people in the night and they removed the engine.
"I went to the OC's office to inquire about the engine and he told me he had only removed a small spare part from the car. I told him the engine had also been removed but he didn't reply to that," D/CPL Oyet testified.
D/CPL Oyet explained that he went back to the counter and opened up a case of stealing from a motor vehicle against the OC.
He said that after opening up a case that day, at about midday, one of the police officers, Corporal Zimula, who had worked the previous night confided in him that the OC after removing the engine with the people he came with, was given Shs20,000 to silence him from reporting.
D/CPL Oyet as well testified that still between March 1 and 15, when he came for duty at 8 am, he was told by Police Constable (PC) Ayo and Corporal Zimula that the OC and friends had vandalised the engines of two other cars at night.
He again opened those cases against his superior and forwarded the file to the division CID officer at Kabalagala Police.
The trial magistrate, Amabilis upon hearing the D/CPL Oyet's testimony, he inquired from him if he had any grudge against his former boss.
In reply, D/CPL said 'no' adding that other officers at the station feared to report OC Manyinya because he was their superior but they saw his acts.
Ms Amabilis adjourned the matter to November 6, after granting the co-accused, Ssemakula a non-cash bail of Shs1m and his sureties were bonded at Shs1m also not cash.
Prosecution contends that between February and March 2020, OC Manyinya and Ssemakula plus others still at large at Kibuli Police Station (CID Headquarters Kibuli) in Kampala stole engines from exhibit motor vehicles reg no UAZ 056 TZ Prado, UAK 40--Toyota Hiace, 591W Toyota Hiace, and UAH 088G Toyota Prado Land Cruiser.
