Wameli Advocates recuse from offering Sipapa legal services

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Wameli and Company Advocates have withdrawn from a case involving Charles Olim, commonly known as Sipapa together with his wife Shamirah Nakiyemba, two weeks after receiving instructions. The couple is charged with aggravated robbery.

Sipapa and Nakiyemba first appeared before Makindye Chief Magistrates Court a month ago, on allegations of robbing over 1.6 billion Shillings from a South Sudan National, Jacob Mul Arok. At the time, he was represented by Elgon Advocates.

But Sipapa fell out with the legal team over his alleged failure to clear a bill of 100 million Shillings. Three days ago, lawyer Geoffrey Turyamusiima announced that Wameli and Company Advocates, a firm to which he belongs had taken on the instructions to represent Sipapa in the matter.

But now the law firm has announced that it has withdrawn its representation. “All matters connected to the same should be served on the accused persons personally or their new lawyers if any,” reads the notice that has been copied to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Makindye Resident State Attorney, accused persons and to the court.

Lawyer Anthony Wameli says that he directed his colleague Martin Njoroge, to file the withdrawal which some advocates at his law firm had branded fake. Wameli said he could not sustain the representation because he is a potential witness against the suspect whom he accuses of engaging in violent and illegal acts against members of the National Unity Platform-NUP, a party whose legal department he represents.

Wameli who is currently in the United States of America, where he has been for more than a year on treatment, added that by the time he purported to take on the instructions, Turyamusiima was not alive to these facts and that he had not addressed his mind to the same. He said that under the circumstances, his law firm cannot effectively represent Sipapa or his girlfriend.

Sipapa is said to have caused havoc when he occasionally showed up and started shooting aimlessly at supporters of the National Unity Platform-NUP at the party offices in Kamwokya before and after the contested 2021 presidential elections. He often had military guards in his company.

Sipapa is expected to return to court on November 10, 2022 to be informed on the status of investigations of the charges against him.

*****

URN