Senior cop, ex-soldier charged with kidnap of city accountant

Seven people, including a senior police officer has been charged with the kidnap of city accountant Gerald Yashaba before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's court in Kampala.

On Tuesday, the senior principal grade one magistrate Charles Yeteise remanded the accused to Luzira prison after denying charges of kidnap and aggravated robbery, which was read out to them by the court clerk. The accused also face an alternative count of conspiracy to commit the crime.

The accused are Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Edward Edyegu, 58, John Atuhaire a former soldier attached to Special Forces Command (SFC), 36, and Kampala International University student Dennis Ogwang, 31.

Others are special hire driver Moses Batambuze, 42, boda-boda cyclist Remegio Seguya ,28, security guard Edmond Mugumya, 33, and Nicholas Insingoma.

While remanding the accused, the magistrate informed them that they are facing capital offences, which are triable by the High court. "This court has no jurisdiction to try you; therefore I cannot grant you bail".

The magistrate also told the accused that the offences require them to spend 180 days on remand, as prosecution investigates the case and that upon its completion, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) shall ask court to commit them to High court to stand trial or discharge them.

"From now you will be appearing in court after every 14 days. If you have special circumstances that warrant your temporal release, you can apply for bail at High court," he advised.

Prosecution led by Nelly Asiku alleges that the accused and others still at large on September 18, 2017 kidnapped Yashaba from Total Petrol Station Kibuli and held him hostage at Centenary Park for over 12 hours with an intent of getting USD 100, 000 (about sh360m) from him for freedom. 

The state further alleges that the accused robbed Yashaba of sh3m and a bunch of keys while he was on gun point.

Yashaba is an accountant with Lamba Enterprises, a construction company owned by former ministry of Public Service Principal Accountant Christopher Obey.

"I woke up early in the morning to take my children to school. However, as soon as I dropped them at Silver Spoon Nursery School, I headed to Kibuli total petrol station to refill my car and another car came carrying five men, grabbed and dragged me to their car and drove towards Kabalagala police station," Yashaba narrates his ordeal to New Vision.

According to Yashaba, they later drove him claiming that they were transferring him to Kampala Metropolitan Police (KMP) commander but only to learn that he had instead been taken to Centenary Park where they held him hostage.

"While in their car, they told me that they had information that I had a lot of money and they demanded that I give them sh360m in order to regain my freedom. I told them that I had no money and they told me that if I do not give them money, they would kill me," he said.

Yashaba says that he later requested for his phone to call his in-law (name withheld) to bail him out. "My in law managed to raise only USD35000 (about sh126m), which they accepted.

He further states that as the suspects crossed Dowinton road in Kampala to pick the money, flying squad officers arrested them.

The case has been adjourned to February 26 for further mention.