The Grade One Magistrate’s court has remanded three district leaders to Soroti Main Prison until July 26, 2023, over the controversial Bukedea LCV by-election.
The three include Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Wilberforce Tukei, the District Police Commander (DPC) Charles Okoto, Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) Maimud Oluka.
Both the DPC and RDC were charged with neglecting their duty to prevent a felony while the GISO was slapped with charges of simple robbery and assault, same accusations meted on the Bukedea Town Council LC V Councilor, Dan Malinga.
The Court presided over by the Bukedea Grade One magistrate Juliana Kimono, heard that the RDC and DPC, as the chairperson and member of the District Security Committee respectively, failed to take action when a former aspirant identified as David Omagor was assaulted at the Electoral Commission offices in Bukedea on June 6, 2023.
Court also heard that the GISO, LCV Councilor and others, still at large, assaulted and robbed Omagor of 9 million shillings and documents from his home on the day of his nomination.
The accused pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded to Soroti Main Prison.
The State House Anti-Corruption Unit together with the Police have since arrested at least eight people including the accused and police constables Onesmus Akankwasa, Oriokot Simon Peter, Kamakoin Difas, and Born Naibei over the elections.
These arrests follow a directive by the President to the Anti Corruption Unit, to investigate highhandedness and gross irregularities that marred the elections. In a letter dated June 26, 2023 and addressed to Brig. Henry Musoke the State House Anti Corruption head. The president ordered an investigation into the by-elections, citing electoral violence.
They are on the spot for neglecting to act on various irregularities and violence meted on some candidates, polling agents, journalists, and voters during the by-election held in June 2023 .The by-election also had pockets of ballot stuffing, intimidation, and robberies.
One of the aspirants who failed to participate in the polls, David Stephen Omagor was attacked twice and allegedly robbed over 200 Million shillings and the nomination documents. He was also attacked before police officers and electoral commission officials.