Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court has adjourned the hearing of the theft case involving city socialite, Charles Olimi alias Sipapa, to May 28, 2023. 

Sipapa is battling charges of theft of sh169m and office breaking. 

Early this year, he appeared before Grade One Magistrate Esther Adikini and denied the charges, saying he did not commit the offence. 

Under Sections 254, 261 and 297 of the Penal Code Act, the offence of office breaking attracts a maximum sentence of seven years’ imprisonment while theft elicits a 10-year jail term, upon conviction. 

On Thursday, when the case came up for hearing, Chief Magistrate Igga Adiru informed the court that the trial magistrate was on annual leave. 

This prompted him to adjourn the case to May 28, 2023, for hearing and the accused person was further remanded until then. 

Sipapa’s lawyer Geoffrey Turyamusiima was present in court. 

Background 

The prosecution alleges that Sipapa broke into the office of Waada Atsushi and stole his property on February 3, 2019, in Kisugu, Makindye Division in Kampala district. 

According to the prosecution, Sipapa allegedly stole four Canon batteries, 11 camera lenses, five compact flashes, eight computers, five filters, four hard discs, one electronic dictionary, a backpack, an electric book, an extension tube and a laptop bag — all valued at sh169m. 

All the items reportedly belonged to Atsushi.