Produce arrested MP in Court - Kadaga

By Moses Walubiri & Joyce Namutebi

KAMPALA - Speaker of parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, has ordered the junior minister of Internal Affairs James Baba to produce in court a member of parliament who has spent the last five days in police custody over accusations of vandalism.

Toroma County MP Cyrus Amodoi was arrested on Saturday last week with two other people caught digging up parts of Awere Bridge in Pader district allegedly in search of mercury.

Aruu County MP Odonga Otto on Wednesday faulted Baba for ignoring the plight of the retired soldier turned politician, revealing to the House that Amodoi was a victim of conmen who had taken sh20m from him.

“It’s a shame that the minister is here defending a bill when a fellow legislator is languishing in a police cell in my constituency. He has been denied a police bond, with the DPC telling me that he cannot release him because the IGP is in Australia,” Otto said, to choruses of “shame, shame,” across the political divide.

Baba, however, denied knowledge of Amodoi’s woes. “I am not aware of this case. It has not been reported to me. I will investigate and get back to you,” Baba said.

This prompted Kadaga to ask for a timeline when the beleaguered MP can be produced in court. “The MP will soon be produced in court,” Baba said, responding to Kadaga’s demand that the minister interests himself in Amodoi’s case.

The Police said Amodoi and his accomplices on Friday night fled the scene during hot pursuit by the cops amidst gunfire. Initial reports indicate that Amodoi was arrested at Rackoko, 12km east of the bridge.

The regional Police commander (northern), Paul Nkore, identified the other suspects as Abib Bagaza and Samuel Anusu.

 Nkore disclosed that the trio dug up the eastern part of the bridge and poured an unknown liquid into the hole they had dug up.

Pader district Police commander Ambrose Sabiti said the suspects abandoned their tools, including axes and drills, which the Police have seized as exhibits.

 Sabiti made it clear that the Criminal Investigations Department had embarked on investigations into the case under file number 175/2013 and SD 04/30/2013 at Rackoko Police post.

Located on the Gulu-Moroto highway, the 15-metre bridge was constructed during the British colonial rule after the Owen falls dam in Jinja was built. However, it is not clear whether there is actually any mercury under the aging bridge.