In Brief

UTL man out on bailKAMPALA – Julius Ampaire, formerly chief/international services and operations manager Uganda Posts & Telecommunications (UTL) has been released on bail after spending the statutory 120 days on remand. Ampaire was charged with theft of over sh972m. He was released by the Buganda Road Court chief magistrate Frank Nigel Othembi.-------‘Share your knowledge’KAMPALA – Lands, water and environment minister Dr. Ruhakana Rugunda yesterday urged researchers to provide knowledge they have generated to communities so that they can control degradation of Lake Victoria. Rugunda was speaking at a national workshop on findings of studies conducted on Lake Victoria organised by Lake Victoria Environment Management Programme.-------Armed thugs rob vehicleKAMPALA –Two armed thugs on Sunday robbed a vehicle from a man in Namungoona in Rubaga division, a city suburb. The regional CID officer, Kampala Extra, Moses Sakira, yesterday said Andrew Mwanga, an employee of Meat Packers, was robbed of his Toyota Starlet at 11:30pm by the thugs who were armed with a sub-machine gun.-------Driving on pavementKAMPALA – Court yesterday sentenced a man to a fine of sh1.2m or two years in jail for driving on a pavement. Ssalongo Musisi, 25, a resident of Bweyogerere pleaded guilty to the offence before the Nakawa Court Grade One Magistrate. He was charged with driving in a manner dangerous to the public. The accused committed the offence on March 19, on Jinja Road. Musisi was taken to Luzira Prison after he failed to pay the fine.-------Terror trialKAMPALA - Court yesterday dismissed terrorism charges against a suspected ADF rebel after prosecution failed to produce witnesses. Buganda Road Court Chief Magistrate Frank Othiembi discharged Buruhan Sekaja alias Lubega alias Buru, saying the State had shown no interest in the matter.-------Bail deniedKAMPALA - Arua Park-based hawker, Rashid Komakech, was yesterday denied bail over charges of assaulting a Police officer after he failed to produce sureties. He was remanded in Luzira Prison until April 26 when his case comes up for hearing again.-------German getsKAMPALA – Prime minister Apolo Nsibambi is to present an award to a German humanitarian worker Lise Schummer for her role in fighting poverty in Uganda. Schummer arrived yesterday to inspect projects funded by her organisation, Friends of Uganda. It specialises in rural micro-finance.-------Sh140m lostKAMPALA - A cashier was yesterday charged with sh139m embezzlement from a private firm, Goodwill Services, Nakawa. Annet Mirembe of Nakulabye, Kiwanyi zone appeared before Nakawa Court Chief Magistrate John Arutu and denied the charge. She was not allowed to apply for bail but advised to apply for bail at the High Court.-------Violence hits Mayuge MAYUGE — Violence erupted on Friday at Kityerera sub-county headquarters during a joint campaign rally for the district LC5 seat. Two women were injured by flying stones and a child was seriously hurt when it was trampled upon during the scuffle. The Police arrested three suspected ring-leaders.-------Malinga raps Workers’ MPMBALE — The embattled Butebo MP, Dr. Steven Malinga, has blasted the Workers’ MP, Dr. Sam Lyomoki, for allegedly saying he was a non-performer who is ever sleeping in parliament. Malinga, whose election was nullified by the High Court, said he had contributed to the repair of roads, 35 boreholes and the building of schools.-------Bageya blasts probeIGANGA — The out-going LC5 chairman, Patrick Bageya, has said the committee probing election violence was incompetent. “Some members on the committee were involved in election malpractices and I can’t see any good out-come from such a committee,” Bageya said. He said the probe left out many rural victims.-------Reconcile, says AyumeARUA — The Attorney General and MP for Koboko county, Francis Ayume, has appealed to district politicians to forget their past political differences and reconcile for development of the district. Ayume was recently opening North Western College in Arua.-------‘Morals down’KABALE — The director of education in the district, Mr. Sam Basurwa, has decried the high level of immorality among secondary school students. Basurwa was addressing about 50 head teachers at Rukiiko hall at Makanga Hill last week. He said action would be taken against teachers and the clergy who abuse students.-------KibwetereKANUNGU — Joseph Kibwetere, the leader of The Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, a cult in which over 700 people perished in an inferno is said to have died seven months before the inferno. Orumuri newspaper on Friday quoted his wife, Tereza Kibwetere, as saying he died in July 1999 following a long illness.-------‘Arrest him’KAMPALA — Court has ordered for the arrest of public service state minister Patrick Okumu Ringa for failure to turn up for judgement of his case. Okumu, the former managing director of the defunct Ringa Transport Services and MP Padyere county recently pleaded guilty to six counts of failure to pay sh13m in wages to Alex Ozelle, his former employee.-------Strikes rifeKUMI — The retired bishop of Soroti diocese, Geresom Illukor, has decried the increasing rate of strikes in Teso schools. Illukor said the strikes were responsible for the falling standards of education in the region. Illukor was speaking at the graduation ceremony of Judith Among Obore in Osioda county on Saturday.