The Bukedea Grade One Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Wilberforce Tukei, the District Police Commander (DPC), Charles Okoto, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO), Mahmoud Oluka and Dan Malinga, the District Councilor representing Bukedea Town Council.

The group is among nine security personnel and area leaders who were arrested by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit following a directive by President Yoweri Museveni over the chaos that marred an LCV by-election conducted in June.

The President expressed shock at the number of alleged irregularities that marred the by-election and ordered the head of the anti-corruption unit Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke to investigate the matter. The RDC and DPC were subsequently arrested and are accused of neglect of duty to prevent a felony while the GISO and the councillor are accused of simple robbery and assault of David Stephen Omagor, a former aspirant in the race.

The group was remanded to Soroti prison and returned this morning for the mention of their cases. But their lawyers asked for bail and presented sureties including security men in uniform. The RDC presented his wife Catherine Adeke Tukei and the Kotido RDC, Ambrose Onoria while the DPC presented his wife Bena Abbo and the Ngora DPC, John Elatu Ejokuna.

The councillor presented his cousin Beatrice Ajilong and the Bukedea Town Council Speaker Hellen Amunyo while the GISO presented his colleagues, Lawrence Orone Opiny and Ramadhan Outeke, the GISOs of Kidongole and Kachumbala sub-counties respectively.

Grade One Magistrate Juliana Kimono granted the RDC and DPC A cash bail of sh400,000 each while the GISO and Councilor were granted a cash bail of sh300,000 each as all the sureties were bonded at sh10 million.

Lawyer Evans Ochieng who represented all the accused persons said that although some of their clients have been granted bail, they are dissatisfied with the way the prosecution is handling the matter.

Five Police officers who were arrested and remanded earlier over related offences were further remanded to prison until August 8, 2023. The group includes Alex Enguloit, the officer in charge of criminal investigations at Bukedea Central Police Station, Police Constable Onesmus Akankwasa, D/C Simon Peter Oriokot, Police Constable Difas Kamakoin and Police Constable Born Naibei. They are all facing charges of murder, aggravated robbery and aggravated torture.

The murder cases were committed on December 25, 2021, and in January 2022 while the aggravated torture was committed inside Bukedea police cells in 2022.

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