Four charged, remanded over vandalising UTL property
Sep 06, 2019
The prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large on May 11, 2019 at Mengo in Kampala district stole 200 poles and 10,000 meters of drop wires, all valued at over sh33m
COURT VANDALISM
Four people have been charged and remanded to Luzira Prisons for allegedly vandalisng Uganda Telecom Limited (UTL) Property.
Hannington Kigongo, 60, Godfrey Kaweesa, 50, John Kawesa, 33 and Moses Ssemwanga, 35 were charged at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's Court in Kampala.
The four appeared before Grade One Magistrate, Marion Mangeni on Thursday afternoon and denied two counts of damaging, removing or tampering with telecommunication installation and theft of UTL property.
The prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large on May 11, 2019 at Mengo in Kampala district stole 200 poles and 10,000 meters of drop wires, all valued at over sh33m, all property of UTL.
It is further contended that the accused on the same date and place damaged, removed and tampered with telecommunication poles and drop wires belonging UTL.
The suspects
Kigongo alias Muhamudu is a driver, while Kaweesa is a businessman residing at Nsangi, Nakatema Cell, Nsangi sub-county in Wakiso district.
According to court documents, John Kawesa also known as Kifefe is a businessman who sells poles.
State prosecutor Ivan Kyazze informed court that investigations into the matter were still ongoing and requested court for an adjournment to enable them to complete inquiries.
Prior to state's submission, the accused through their lawyers Fredrick Kalule and Enid Akampulira applied for bail, saying that their clients have illegally spent over two weeks in police custody before their arraignment in court.
However, prosecution asked for more time to enable them to verify the national identity cards of the nine sureties presented and the documents they presented to court.
"Your worship, there are inconsistencies in the documents presented by the sureties. It is on these grounds that I seek this court to give us ample time to verify the sureties' documents," state prosecutor Kyazze said.
He also noted that the LC1 letters brought by the sureties were prepared even before the case came to court.
"We humbly pray for bail, the state is now speculative and the substantiality of the sureties has not been challenged, we still literate that the sureties are substantial," defence lawyer Akampulira stated.
Upon the state and defence submissions, The magistrate adjourned the case to September 13, 2019, for mention and bail ruling.
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