Court dismisses trespass case against Akena

Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena. File photo 

Kampala. Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday dismissed charges of trespass against Lira Municipality MP Jimmy Akena, who was accused of illegally occupying UPC party’s offices at Uganda House in Kampala.
Mr Akena is charged alongside 14 others, including fellow legislators, Mr Maxwell Akora (Maruzi County – Apac), Mr Fred Ebil (Kole County) and Ms Betty Amongi (Oyam County), among others. None of the suspects was present in court at the time the case was dismissed.
The case was earlier scheduled for ruling on January 15, next year by Grade One Magistrate, Ms Mary Kisakye, on whether to accept the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP)’s decision to withdraw the case.

Turn of events
However, when the file was presented to the Chief Magistrate, Ms Flavia Nabakooza, yesterday by state prosecutor Lillian Omara, she (Ms Nabakooza) held that having received a withdrawal form from the DPP as proof that he lost interest in the matter, court chose to close it and all suspects were accordingly discharged.
On December 7, private lawyers, Mr Mulema Mukasa and David Ssempala, hired by the complainant, Milton Obote Foundation and Uganda House Investments Ltd, contested the DPP’s position to withdraw this case.

Speaking to Daily Monitor on phone yesterday, Mr Mukasa said court itself will now be on trial.
“…we had been told by Her Worship, Ms Kisakye that we are supposed to go back to court on January 15, 2016 for a ruling. If indeed court dismissed the case behind the curtains, we are going to handle the matter at an administrative level, none of us was invited,” Mr Mukasa said.

bndagire@ug.nationmedia.com