Katumba Defends Kutesa

By Emmy Allio THE Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Katumba Wamala, had defended state minister for finance in charge of investment, Sam Kutesa, against accusations of shielding criminals from prosecution. Special presidential adviser Major Kakooza Mutale last week accused Kutesa, state for regional cooperation minister Kahinda Otafiire and Saracen Guards, owned by Maj. Gen. Salim Saleh, of frustrating his efforts in fighting crime. Katumba said, “ I came to know about the case of fake cement when the suspect had been in Police custody for two days. Hon. Sam Kutesa spoke to me about it and I told Mutale and the CID to look into the case quickly.” “When I found out that the case was not a capital offence, I decided that the suspect should be released on bond. It is not true that Kutesa ordered the suspect’s release,” he said. Mutale said Kutesa ordered the release of Kiganda Kawooya caught with several tones of fake cement. Mutale also said the machines used in mixing the fake cement could also be used in mixing components for bombs. Mutale on Saturday handed over to the minister for presidency Prof. Gilbert Bukenya his report and files on Maj. Gen. Salim Saleh, Kutesa and Otafiire. Kutesa, the MP for Mawogola, referred to Mutale as an unguided missile.” Otafiire yesterday referred to Mutale as a “madman” who has no powers to arrest people “because he is not a policeman.” Asked about his position as a director in Delta Force Protection Limited whose Operations chief, Michael Alvins Bogere, was reportedly released from Police custody on his orders, Otafiire said, “What is wrong with being a director in that organisation. That man (Mutale) is just mad and people should forget about him.” On Thursday, Premier Apolo Nsibambi told Parliament that the Government had instituted a probe on Mutale’s claims that Kutesa and Otafiire are shielding criminals. The Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Edward Ssekandi, on Wednesday directed the House’s committee on presidential and foreign affairs to investigate the same matter. Ends