HISTORY ON THURSDAYS WITH COLLYBRIGHT
Suspect
Appears in Court Wearing the Clothes He Stole from the Magistrate
A
trial magistrate of Otuke in Uganda was last week left speechless when a
suspect appeared in court wearing his stolen clothes.
The
magistrate was prompted to adjourn hearing all the cases for one week to
recover from the shock, a police officer, who attended the dramatic court
session, said.
‘This was the same man the Grade One
Magistrate, Mr Benjamin Seruru, set free on May 24 after being remanded to
Otuke Government Prison for stealing a bag of sim-sim’, he added. Jimmy
Oteng, 34, a resident of Okelo-amone Village, Adwari Sub-county in Otuke
District, had been on remand at Otuke prison for six months. He faced
accusation of stealing one bag of sim-sim from the house of Mr David Okello, a
resident of Okelo-amone Village. Oteng allegedly broke into Mr Okello’s house
in November 2018.
However,
Mr Seruru on May 24 decided to release him because the complainant had on
several occasions failed to appear in court to testify against the suspect.
Just
a day after his release from prison, Oteng allegedly raided the home of the
magistrate and stole his property. He stole a suitcase containing four pairs of
suits and other clothes, two 20-liter jerry cans of water, which he mistook for
cooking oil, among others.
A
police officer attached to Otuke Central Police Station, who requested for
anonymity, told Daily Monitor on Friday that Oteng also raided the homes of two
prison officers.
The
victims include Mr Longman Ogwang and Ms Jennet Alum. The police officer said
Oteng allegedly stole cooking oil and other household items when he raided the
homes of the prison staff. He later broke into the house of the magistrate.
Oteng
reportedly took advantage of the heavy rain since the occupants of those houses
were away for work.
“He was found
hiding in a bush at Bar-odugu ward in Otuke Town Council by two hunters who
called me and I went and arrested him. I found him in possession of several
items stolen from the house of the magistrate including four pairs of suits,” the police source said.
He
said Oteng was produced in court on Thursday before Mr Seruru declined to hear
the case and remanded the suspect to prison up to June 11. He will re-appear
before Lira Chief Magistrate’s or Alebtong Magistrate’s Court.
The
Otuke District Police Commander, Mr Edison Birema Turyamyamwe, on Friday said
the suspect is a habitual criminal who had previously been charged with several
cases of theft and burglaries.
Mr
Mike Okullo, one of the hunters, at the weekend said it had rained heavily the
previous night and by mid-day the following day it was still drizzling. So,
they decided to go to the bush to hunt squirrels and genuine rats when they
came across Oteng in the bush.
Source: Mccollybright.blogspot.com.ng
About The Author: Adeshile Adekolajo
Adeshile
Adekolajo is a graduate of the University of Abuja, He works for Ntel
Nigeria and we owns - Mccollybright.blogspot.com
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