KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence is holding two Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF soldiers for obtaining money by false pretence.
The two are Captain Gerald Bitindi Byamugisha attached to the Chieftaincy of Pensions and Gratuity in UPDF-COPG and Captain Lamek M.Kimula attached to the 65 Infantry Battalion as an Acting Adjutant.
It is alleged that Byamugisha and Kimula in 2017 while in Kampala Capital City with intent to defraud opened fictitious bank accounts number 2043160022366 and later renewed to 204206051074101 in Pride Microfinance City Branch in the name of late Major General James Kazini’s widow Mosiko Lela and falsely obtained 62 million Shillings.
According to the records seen by URN, Byamugisha and Kimula ran out of lack after their alleged involvement in abusing and stealing pension funds and survivors’ benefits of Kazini ‘s widow during their service at COPG.
The records show that during the trial, the prosecution’s evidence against the two shall consist of witness statements including the complainant, the civilians used to open up fraudulent accounts namely: Boniface Ddamulira, Michael Bantaliza, Erunasani Wasswa, and bank statements.
The suspects have not yet been arraigned before the General Court Martial to be formally charged with offenses related to swindling Kazini’s pension.
Although Byamugisha was arrested about four months ago from the Court Martial where he had gone to report for bond as a requirement on other cases also related to swindling other people’s pensions.
But the Director of Prosecutions in UPDF Lt Col Raphael Mugisha has since written to the Director of Special Investigations Branch Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence after a careful and thorough perusal of the file to obtain some crucial evidence in order to successfully prosecute the case in question.
For stance he says, the CMI needs to extract a statement from Col Deborah Nayebare in respect to the Integrated Personnel and Pay Roll system-IPPS account in order to get a clear explanation of who she handed over the office to upon her travel to the United States of America and in what state did she find the same on her return.
To obtain call data or phone printouts between the suspects and the civilians used to open up the fraudulent accounts.
Also, the prosecution wants the CMI to establish from the accounts of the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs and Accounts Ministry of Finance Integrated Financial Management System-IFMS to establish how the complainant’s account changed from Equity Bank to Pride Microfinance Bank and when exactly the same change happened.
Kazini was killed by his then mistress Lydia Draru on November 10th, 2009 in Wabigalo Zone Makindye Division in Kampala district.
Draru was charged with murder on November 16th, 2009 at Buganda Road Magistrates Court, and sentenced to 14 years in jail for manslaughter after the prosecution failed to adduce evidence of murder.
Draru has since served the jail term and she gained her total freedom on January 12th, 2021 after a remission of four years for good conduct.
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