Court Martial orders Omeda to refund sh2.3m
Nov 17, 2008
THE 3rd Division Court Martial has ordered Lt. Omax Omeda to refund sh2.3m that he withdrew from the accounts of five soldiers. Lt. Col. John Baptist Mulindwa chaired the court at Bugema army garrison in Mbale.
By Daniel Edyegu
THE 3rd Division Court Martial has ordered Lt. Omax Omeda to refund sh2.3m that he withdrew from the accounts of five soldiers. Lt. Col. John Baptist Mulindwa chaired the court at Bugema army garrison in Mbale.
The court heard that while serving as the division zonal intelligence officer for Bugisu region, Omeda on November 4, 2007 directed two of his escorts to confiscate Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards belonging to soldiers from the 33rd Battalion in Nakapiripirit district.
Omeda had consequently been charged with theft and obtaining property by menace.
Prosecution led by Lt. Arthur Asingwire told the court that Omeda withdrew the money and also ordered each of the six victims to forfeit sh70,000, threatening them with detention.
Court heard that the sh70,000 was the initial salary for each of the soldiers, who had just been incorporated into the army from the Local Defence Unit.
Court produced several witnesses including the two escorts, whom Omeda sent to confiscate the cards
But the defence lawyer, Lt Harry Lulecera, told court that Omeda would not answer the charges because he did not physically participate in taking the money from his victims.
“It’s those two soldiers who have testified against Omeda who should be arrested because they stole the money from the bank,†Lulecera said.
Mulindwa dismissed the theft and obtaining property by menace charges and instead charged Omeda with aggravated robbery.
Omeda, the son of the Amuria resident district commissioner, Omax Omeda, was remanded at Bugema Quarter Guard until the new case against him is brought to court for mention.
THE 3rd Division Court Martial has ordered Lt. Omax Omeda to refund sh2.3m that he withdrew from the accounts of five soldiers. Lt. Col. John Baptist Mulindwa chaired the court at Bugema army garrison in Mbale.
The court heard that while serving as the division zonal intelligence officer for Bugisu region, Omeda on November 4, 2007 directed two of his escorts to confiscate Automated Teller Machine (ATM) cards belonging to soldiers from the 33rd Battalion in Nakapiripirit district.
Omeda had consequently been charged with theft and obtaining property by menace.
Prosecution led by Lt. Arthur Asingwire told the court that Omeda withdrew the money and also ordered each of the six victims to forfeit sh70,000, threatening them with detention.
Court heard that the sh70,000 was the initial salary for each of the soldiers, who had just been incorporated into the army from the Local Defence Unit.
Court produced several witnesses including the two escorts, whom Omeda sent to confiscate the cards
But the defence lawyer, Lt Harry Lulecera, told court that Omeda would not answer the charges because he did not physically participate in taking the money from his victims.
“It’s those two soldiers who have testified against Omeda who should be arrested because they stole the money from the bank,†Lulecera said.
Mulindwa dismissed the theft and obtaining property by menace charges and instead charged Omeda with aggravated robbery.
Omeda, the son of the Amuria resident district commissioner, Omax Omeda, was remanded at Bugema Quarter Guard until the new case against him is brought to court for mention.