BY URN
A case in which Detective Superintendent of Police Gilbert Arinaitwe Bwana is accused of sexually trafficking his 23-year-old housemaid is on the verge of dismissal due to the absence of state witnesses.
Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court has given a three-week ultimatum to the Director of Public Prosecutions to produce witnesses in this case or dismiss the case at the next hearing session scheduled for February 7 for lack of evidence.
The ultimatum came after the prosecution led by Judith Nyamwiza informed the court presided over by Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi that the witnesses were unreachable on their telephone contacts.
It is against this background that the Chief Magistrate ruled that if Arinaitwe committed any crime, the State should come ready to prosecute him. He observed that the accused Officer who is on interdiction, receiving half pay, and not deployed was charged on August 10, 2023, and for five months, no witness has testified against him.
Arinaitwe was in August 2023 charged with Aggravated Trafficking in Persons and released on bail. It is alleged that Arinaitwe recruited, transported, and harbored his 23-year-old housemaid for purposes of sexual exploitation on June 23, 2023, from his home in Nalumunye-Bandwe, Kyengera Town Council.
According to Police’s preliminary investigations, the victim intimated to her friend how she had been raped more than seven times and confined with no or little food at all on top of being not paid a salary.
The investigations show that the friend contacted the area’s local defense secretary who moved to rescue the victim from Arinaitwe’s home and accompanied her to make a formal report at Nateete police station. She is currently under the care of a Non-Governmental organization.
The maximum sentence for aggravated trafficking in person is life Imprisonment
Arinaitwe rose to the limelight in 2011 during the Walk to Work protest against the then skyrocketing fuel prices when he pepper-sprayed the then President of the Forum for Democratic Change Party Dr. Kizza Besigye after smashing the window of his car with a pistol at Mulago roundabout in Kampala City.
About the author
London: A Black Pride Haven
BY JAMES KABENGWA. LONDON. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was Sunday filled with the vibrant energy of UK Black Pride- celebrating its 20th anniversary. It brought together LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern descent joined by their other global enthusiasts and members. Among the thousands of attendees were many Ugandans who have found refuge and peace in the UK. For these individuals, the event was more than a celebration. It was a powerful act of defiance. It stood in stark contrast to the realities of their home country, Uganda, where a draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act was passed in 2023. This law includes severe penalties, with "aggravated homosexuality" punishable by death and other consensual same-sex acts by life imprisonment. The legislation criminalizes virtually every aspect of LGBTQ+ life, including advocacy and support for the community. Uganda is one […]
Uganda and Nigeria Forge Anti-Graft Alliance to Boost Trade
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Ambassador John Shama Shaga, has met with the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Brig Gen Henry Isoke, to discuss a joint effort to combat fraud. The collaboration is aimed at creating a safer investment environment and boosting bilateral trade between the two nations, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Three Charged in Cattle Compensation Scandal
KAMPALA. Three suspects, including a politician and a UPDF soldier, have been charged with the theft of over UGX 1.5 billion from a government cattle compensation program in Uganda's Otuke District. The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) announced the arraignment of the trio before the Otuke Magistrate’s Court following a joint investigation with the CID and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The accused are identified as Akasa Jimmy Mokili, a politician; Okengo Jaspher, an LCIII Chairperson; and Sgt. Amoni Benz of the UPDF. According to reports from the Daily Secrets, this is part of a larger criminal scheme targeting vulnerable, often elderly, beneficiaries who lost livestock during the LRA insurgency and Karamoja cattle raids. The conspirators allegedly manipulated the bank account registration process, gaining access to victims' funds and either stealing the money outright or giving […]
Uganda Election Turmoil Looms: Warnings Abound
By RICHARD KIZZA LUGOBWA LONDON - As Uganda approaches the 2026 general elections, concerns over the integrity of the electoral process are intensifying following widespread malpractice during the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries last month. The primaries, held to select party flagbearers for parliamentary and local government positions, were marred by irregularities triggering a wave of concern across the political and civic landscape. Critics, civil society organizations, opposition politicians and observers fear that the widespread irregularities are a warning sign of deeper systemic electoral failures that undermine the credibility of next year's national polls likely to plunge the country into political turmoil. Multiple reports from civil society organizations, independent monitors, and local media have documented instances of ballot stuffing, partisan behavior by state institutions, voter intimidation, bribery, and violence during the NRM primaries. In numerous districts, party officials […]
Vitol, UNOC now accused of failure to protect petroleum products from adulteration, siphoning
In the wake of accusations of supply of adulterated petroleum products, now Uganda National Oil Company and VITOL Energy Limited are being accused of failure to protect fuel trucks from siphoning. Recent videos and images circulating on various social media platforms show individuals siphoning fuel from moving trucks within the city, an act which analysts say could spark deadly disasters. This newspaper understands that Uganda has in the past witnessed deadly accidents where people who tried to siphon fuel were killed when the fuel caught fire. Hotspots for fuel siphoning include Busia, Jinja, and Banda as well as Northern Bypass and Namuwongo area. Kampala police spokesperson Patrick Onyango told this newspaper they were investigating cases of fuel siphoning in the said areas. He warned those involved of severe punishment once arrested. VITOL-UNOC deal Vitol Energy partnered with the Uganda National […]
Why King Caesar Mulenga camp should go slow on shs1.8b entrepreneurship camp
KAMPALA: The ongoing National Resistance Movement (NRM) Entrepreneurs League elections have been marred by controversy, particularly surrounding claims made by the Ceasor Mulenga camp. According to sources, Mulenga's team has been spreading false information about injecting shs1.8b into the Entrepreneurs League SACCO. The Truth Behind the Claims A thorough investigation has revealed that these claims are entirely baseless. There is no evidence to suggest that Mulenga or his team has deposited any funds, let alone shs1.8 billion, into the SACCO. This lack of financial commitment raises serious questions about the credibility of Mulenga's campaign promises as he vies for the position of Chairman of the NRM Entrepreneurs League. Furthermore, when the Buganda and Kampala NRM SACCOs requested that Mulenga deposits funds into their accounts, he avoided doing so. According to Al Hajj Karim Karamagi, the contestant for CEC's Vice Chairman […]
Related
London: A Black Pride Haven
BY JAMES KABENGWA. LONDON. Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park was Sunday filled with the vibrant energy of UK Black Pride- celebrating its 20th anniversary. It brought together LGBTQ+ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Latin American, and Middle Eastern descent joined by their other global enthusiasts and members. Among the thousands of attendees were many Ugandans who have found refuge and peace in the UK. For these individuals, the event was more than a celebration. It was a powerful act of defiance. It stood in stark contrast to the realities of their home country, Uganda, where a draconian Anti-Homosexuality Act was passed in 2023. This law includes severe penalties, with "aggravated homosexuality" punishable by death and other consensual same-sex acts by life imprisonment. The legislation criminalizes virtually every aspect of LGBTQ+ life, including advocacy and support for the community. Uganda is one […]
Uganda and Nigeria Forge Anti-Graft Alliance to Boost Trade
Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Uganda, Ambassador John Shama Shaga, has met with the head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Brig Gen Henry Isoke, to discuss a joint effort to combat fraud. The collaboration is aimed at creating a safer investment environment and boosting bilateral trade between the two nations, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
Three Charged in Cattle Compensation Scandal
KAMPALA. Three suspects, including a politician and a UPDF soldier, have been charged with the theft of over UGX 1.5 billion from a government cattle compensation program in Uganda's Otuke District. The State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) announced the arraignment of the trio before the Otuke Magistrate’s Court following a joint investigation with the CID and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP). The accused are identified as Akasa Jimmy Mokili, a politician; Okengo Jaspher, an LCIII Chairperson; and Sgt. Amoni Benz of the UPDF. According to reports from the Daily Secrets, this is part of a larger criminal scheme targeting vulnerable, often elderly, beneficiaries who lost livestock during the LRA insurgency and Karamoja cattle raids. The conspirators allegedly manipulated the bank account registration process, gaining access to victims' funds and either stealing the money outright or giving […]
Uganda Election Turmoil Looms: Warnings Abound
By RICHARD KIZZA LUGOBWA LONDON - As Uganda approaches the 2026 general elections, concerns over the integrity of the electoral process are intensifying following widespread malpractice during the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries last month. The primaries, held to select party flagbearers for parliamentary and local government positions, were marred by irregularities triggering a wave of concern across the political and civic landscape. Critics, civil society organizations, opposition politicians and observers fear that the widespread irregularities are a warning sign of deeper systemic electoral failures that undermine the credibility of next year's national polls likely to plunge the country into political turmoil. Multiple reports from civil society organizations, independent monitors, and local media have documented instances of ballot stuffing, partisan behavior by state institutions, voter intimidation, bribery, and violence during the NRM primaries. In numerous districts, party officials […]
Vitol, UNOC now accused of failure to protect petroleum products from adulteration, siphoning
In the wake of accusations of supply of adulterated petroleum products, now Uganda National Oil Company and VITOL Energy Limited are being accused of failure to protect fuel trucks from siphoning. Recent videos and images circulating on various social media platforms show individuals siphoning fuel from moving trucks within the city, an act which analysts say could spark deadly disasters. This newspaper understands that Uganda has in the past witnessed deadly accidents where people who tried to siphon fuel were killed when the fuel caught fire. Hotspots for fuel siphoning include Busia, Jinja, and Banda as well as Northern Bypass and Namuwongo area. Kampala police spokesperson Patrick Onyango told this newspaper they were investigating cases of fuel siphoning in the said areas. He warned those involved of severe punishment once arrested. VITOL-UNOC deal Vitol Energy partnered with the Uganda National […]
Why King Caesar Mulenga camp should go slow on shs1.8b entrepreneurship camp
KAMPALA: The ongoing National Resistance Movement (NRM) Entrepreneurs League elections have been marred by controversy, particularly surrounding claims made by the Ceasor Mulenga camp. According to sources, Mulenga's team has been spreading false information about injecting shs1.8b into the Entrepreneurs League SACCO. The Truth Behind the Claims A thorough investigation has revealed that these claims are entirely baseless. There is no evidence to suggest that Mulenga or his team has deposited any funds, let alone shs1.8 billion, into the SACCO. This lack of financial commitment raises serious questions about the credibility of Mulenga's campaign promises as he vies for the position of Chairman of the NRM Entrepreneurs League. Furthermore, when the Buganda and Kampala NRM SACCOs requested that Mulenga deposits funds into their accounts, he avoided doing so. According to Al Hajj Karim Karamagi, the contestant for CEC's Vice Chairman […]
Be the first to leave a comment