State House impersonators remanded in Lira

Lira, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Grade One court sitting in Lira has remanded to prison two men arrested for impersonating state house anti-corruption staff.

Elly Apenyo, a 29-year-old businessman and his colleagues Denis Olwa, a 40-year-old social worker were arrested on Monday and detained at Lira central police station till Friday afternoon when they were finally arraigned before court.

Through their lawyer Isaac Okae of Okae Basalirwa, Kakerewe and Co. Advocates, the accused persons applied for bail but their bail application was not heard on guidance of the state attorney.

Lameck Omara, the state attorney prayed for adjournment before saying he is not fit to handle the matter.

Hilary T. Murangira, the magistrate remanded the accused persons to a later date when they will appear before the same court for bail application hearing.

Reacting to this, Counsel Okae argued that the development is not only abusing the rights of the accused persons but also delaying them justice.

The accused persons who allegedly claimed to have come from State House Anti-corruption unit, called Moses Otim, the personnel officer at Dokolo district local government claiming Otim is being investigated for extorting money from candidates in the recent recruitment of teachers in Dokolo district.

The complainant alerted an army officer who arrested them and took them to Lira central police station. However, the complainant himself has also been arrested on guidance of the Anti-Corruption Unit as an accomplice to the crime although he did not appear in court on Friday.

The duo is charged with three counts of offense; impersonation contrary to section 381 of the Penal Code Act (PCA), uttering false documents and obtaining money by false pretense contrary to section 351 and 305 of the Penal Code Act. Both accused persons pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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