Ndeeba Church demolition case hearing resumes

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The hearing of a case in which businessman Dodoviko Mwanje is accused of demolishing Ndeeba Church resumes today at the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala.

Chief Magistrate Racheal Nakyazze is handling the case.

Mwanje and 19 others are facing charges of theft, conspiracy to commit a misdemeanour, abuse of office, corruption, and disobedience of lawful orders.

They are Field Force Unit (FFU) commander Kampala Metropolitan area Rashid Agero, 59;  FFU Kampala Metropolitan South zonal commander Martin Odero; ASP Isabirye Kaloli, 33, attached to FFU, Katwe; AIP Anthony Kiro, and CPL Richard Kasule.

Others are KCCA urban planner Ivan Katongole, KCCA civil engineer Richard Naika, Muganada Gombolola Internal Security Officer Ali Mukwaya, Ali Bulega, Badiru Ssekitto, Hamza Kiberu, Abas Mutebi, Ali Kalika, Simon Matovu, James Kisirinya, Bashir Muruti, Andrew Mujuzi, Bbosa Muniru and Muhammad Kawooya.

Allegations

Dodoviko is accused of stealing assorted church items valued at approximately shillings 850 million.

Prosecution alleges that the police officers on August 10, 2020, at Katwe Ndeeba gave protection to persons who unlawfully demolished St. Peter's Church without authority and in disregard to superiors' orders to protect the church from demolition.

They also allegedly neglected to secure the church from demolition, which was their duty to perform by virtue of their employment as police officers and as directed by the Commissioner of Police, the Commandant of Kampala Metropolitan Police.

Meanwhile, Katongole and Naika, on July 28, 2020, at KCCA in Kampala, in abuse of the authority of their respective offices, allegedly processed, issued demolition, hoarding and scaffolding permits to Ephraim Enterprises Limited in contravention of the Building Control Act.

Prosecution also purports that Dodoviko, KCCA bosses and the police officers between March and August 10, 2020, conspired to commit a misdemeanour, namely, circumvented Regulation 28 (1) of the Building Regulation, 2020, and caused the demolition of the church.

It is also alleged that Cpl Kasule on August 10, 2020, stole a wooden bench with a cushion valued at sh100, 000, the property of the church.

The suspects are also accused of unlawfully gathering at the church in contravention of the Presidential and Ministry of Health directives regarding Covid-19, an act which they knew or had reason to believe was likely to spread the infection of the pandemic, which is dangerous to life.