Defiler gets 9 years in jail
KAMPALA - A Congolese refugee, Ernest Baluku, who defiled a-seven-year-old girl, has been sentenced to nine years in jail. Baluku, 34, had denied the offence and had put up a defence of alibi, saying on the fateful day he had spent the night in Kabuli after the victim’s mother chased him away. However, Justice Eldad Mwangusya of the High Court ruled that prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Baluku.

City pastor charged
KAMPALA - Pastor James Mukasa, 29, was on Tuesday charged with obtaining money from 15 people, saying he would take them for casual labour outside Uganda. Prosecution alleged that Mukasa of Kamwokya church, fraudulently obtained over sh15m on March 9. Mukasa fleeced his victims of cash to secure air tickets and work permits to Dubai in the United Arab Emirates and Kenya.

Fire guts plaza
KAMPALA - There was a stampede at Kamu Kamu Plaza on Entebbe road on Wednesday when fire gutted shops on the building. The fire that started on the ground floor at around 4:00pm, forced most shop attendants to flee. Using fire extinguishers, security guards put out the fire in about 30 minutes. A guard identified as Mugerwa said the Police arrived after the fire had been put out. In that confusion, thieves entered the shops, but a suspect, Ssekyanzi, from Makindye, was arrested.

School land given out
FORT PORTAL - The municipality MP has said part of Buhinga Primary School land has been allocated to an investor. Stephen Kaliba said the land was illegally sold to Godfrey Tumusiime by the finance ministry under the departed Asian custodian board. Addressing journalists in Parliament on Wednesday, Kaliba said the ministry sold the land at sh18m without consulting the school management. The school stands on plots 11, 22, 24, 53, 54, 19, 21 and 23. The first three plots have classrooms and part of the playground, plots 53 and 54 accommodate a staff house, a coordinating centre and part of the playground. Plots 19, 21 and 23 also accommodate other staff houses. Kaliba said the land did not fall under the custodian board.

MPs irked over poor roads KAMPALA - The Speaker of Parliament, Edward Ssekandi, has directed the committee on physical infrastructure to investigate reports that sections of the Arua-Oluyo road are wearing out before the stipulated lifespan. He was on Wednesday reacting to a concern raised by opposition works and transport shadow minister Patrick Amuriat on the state of roads in the country. “A lot of money is going to road construction, but the roads do not last, which means we do not get value for money,” Amuriat said, urging the Parliament to intervene.

Kasaija explains Police issues KAMPALA - The Police force has a unit that investigates the conduct of officers, internal affairs state minister Matia Kasaija has said. Kasaija on Wednesday said the Professional Standards Unit looks into cases of corruption and failure by officers to investigate cases and refers them to the disciplinary committee. The minister was responding to a complaint raised by Sam Njuba (Kyadondo East) that his constituents were recently beaten by policemen. Njuba said the victims were returning to their homes after a meeting with him. The group, comprising mostly of truck drivers, Njuba explained, had complained that Police officers were illegally collecting money from them at roadblocks.

Teacher misses heart surgery KAMPALA - One of the seven patients selected for the recent free heart surgeries missed the opportunity due to medical complications. South Korean professor Park Pyo Won and his medical team of six returned home over the weekend after carrying out six successful free open heart surgeries in Kampala. Harriet Apolot, a 35-year-old primary school teacher in Soroti district, could not be operated on last week because her blood pressure was too high. Apolot will be considered for operation in September when a team of Indian surgeons is expected.

Coffee farmers to get loans KAMPALA - Coffee farmers can now access bank loans using their stock after the Uganda Commodity Exchange and the Uganda Coffee Development Authority signed an agreement recently. Under the arrangement, the farmers will only be required to produce warehouse receipts as proof of ability to pay before they can acquire loans from banks. “These receipts are a legal document of title and can be used as secure collateral for bank borrowing and/or sold at the commodity exchange,” read a statement. Initially, licences were being given to specialist warehouses.