Dodoviko charged over demolition of Ndeeba church

Dodoviko Mwanje, a businessman alleged to have been behind the demolition of St Peter's Church in Ndeeba, Kampala, has been charged and remanded to Kitalya Prison.

Mwanje appeared in the dock alongside Ivan Katongole, a Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) urban planner, who is alleged to have signed the demolition order for the church.

The two men appeared before Makindye Court Chief Magistrate Prossy Katushabe and denied the charge of conspiracy to commit a felony, an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of two-year imprisonment, on conviction.

Dodoviko, who turned himself in to the High Court in Kampala yesterday following criminal summons issued to him by the magistrate two weeks ago, applied for bail. City lawyer Ambrose Tebyasa presented three people in court to stand surety for Dodoviko.

They include his wife Grace Nagawa Kiggundu, Andrey Kibaga, the director Prime View Hotel in Ndeeba and Elasie Ssekandi.

The 21 suspects, who are on remand, applied for bail, via video conferencing, having been already charged and denied any involvement in the demolition of the said church, which happened in the wee hours of August 10, this year.

Senior State Attorney Noah Kunya, who said court investigations are still ongoing, asked for more time to respond to the accused's bail application.

"I pray that you give us more time to verify the sureties' documents since they are many," Kunya said.

This prompted the magistrate to remand Dodoviko and Katongole until September 4, when the State will respond to their bail application.

Prosecution alleges the duo and 22 others, including senior Police officers, between March 2020 and August 10, this year, conspired to demolish St Peter's Church Ndeeba, property of Church of Uganda.

They Police officers and civilians implicated in the matter have so far spent two weeks on remand at Kitalya Prison. The policemen are SSP Rashid Agero, 59, the Field Force Unit (FFU) commander Kampala metropolitan area; SP Martin Odero, the FFU Kampala metropolitan south zonal commander; SP David Epedu, 34, the Katwe Police divisional commander and ASP Isabirye Kaloli, 33, attached to FFU, Katwe

Others are ASP Mugira Yeko Kato, the OC Station Ndeeba Police Station, AIP Anthony Kiro and Cpl Richard Kasule,

Ali Lubega, Badiru Ssekitto, Hamza Kiberu, Abbas Mutebi, Ali Kalika, Simon Matovu, James Kisirinya, Bashir Muruti, Andrew Mujuzi, Munir Bbosa, Muhammad Kawooya, KCCA a civil engineer Richard Naika, 42, and Ali Mukwaya, a Gombolola Internal Security Officer.

The accused are battling charges of theft, disobedience of lawful orders and malicious damage to property.

According to the Penal Code Act, the offences, on conviction attract a maximum jail sentence of seven and 10 years, respectively.

The Police officers also separately face a charge of disobeying the lawful orders of Commissioner of Police Moses Kafeero, to deploy Police guards at the church to avert any possible demolition.

However, the rest of the suspects are accused of using an excavator to demolish the church on the night of August 10.

They are also accused of stealing chairs, doors, and assorted property of the  church.

Arrest

The accused were arrested by Police officers on the orders of the head of State House Anti- Corruption Unit (SHACU), Lt Col Edith Nakalema.

Nakalema said President Yoweri Museveni has directed all public officials involved or linked to the demolition of the church to be prosecuted in courts of law.

New Church

On Saturday, August 15, the President and the Katikkiro of Buganda, Peter Mayiga, visited the scene.

"Even if the church is in the wrong, no one has the right to destroy it. It is a sin or a curse to destroy a church. We are going to deal with those who destroyed it. I am going to build a new church in this place," the President said.