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Jinja central division chairman remanded for demolishing church
Jinja Central Division Chairperson Mr Mubaraka Kirunda (in blue jersey) being taken to Jinja Magistrates Court with other suspects on March 06, 2019. PHOTO BY TAUSI NAKATO
What you need to know:
- He was arrested with Mr Stephen Ssekanjako, a resident of Kamengo village, Mpigi District and Mr Gideon Neerugendo Nsabimana, a resident of Mugo village in North Kivu, eastern DR Congo.
Mr Mubaraka Kirunda, the chairperson of Jinja Central Division in Jinja Municipality has been remanded to Kirinya prison over two charges of malicious damage to property.
Court heard on Wednesday that Mr Kirunda on December 30, 2018, destroyed the concrete drainage pipes along Jinja-Nalufenya Road which is contrary to section 335[1] of Penal Code Act.
Court also heard that on May 25, 2018, at Kakindu in Jinja, Mr Kirunda destroyed Christ commission ministries building belonging to Pastor Ibrahim Omaido which is also against the law.
In 2018, Mr Kirunda embarked on a plan to renovate Kakindu Stadium by constructing modern toilets and a pavilion - on the same land that harbors the church.
State prosecutor Mr Daniel Kiduma told Jinja Magistrates Court presided over by Ms Happy Anne Kyomuhangi that investigations were complete and they were ready for hearing.
Mr Kirunda denied the charges before the magistrate remanded him to prison up to today March 7 for hearing.
Although Mr Kirunda through his lawyer Mr Martin Asingwire, had applied for bail, the magistrate deferred the bail application hearing to Thursday.
Mr Kirunda, a member of the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, was arrested on February 20, 2019 by Police in Kisoro District while trying to flee the country to DR Congo through Bunagana border.
He was arrested with Mr Stephen Ssekanjako, a resident of Kamengo village, Mpigi District and Mr Gideon Neerugendo Nsabimana, a resident of Mugo village in North Kivu, eastern DR Congo.
In a police statement, Mr Kirunda said that he was crossing to DR Congo to trade in fish.
