Court sets hearing date for aggravated robbery case against socialite Sipapa, wife

Kampala socialite Charles Olimu commonly known as Sipapa is set to stand trial in connection to the aggravated robbery and money laundering charges he is facing together with his wife Shamira Rukia Nakiyemba.

This comes after the prosecution led by Mr Edward Muhumuza informed the court that they had finished sharing all the documents they intend to rely on during the hearing of the case thus seeking a hearing date.

Court has heard that both the prosecution and defence lawyers led by Mr Henry Kunya and Susan Wakabala had agreed on the hearing dates of December 18 and 19, 2023.

High Court Judge Micheal Elubu has agreed with both the state and defence lawyers thus appointing two assessors; Ms Juliet Kasiidwa and Mr Joseph Wasidi to help in guiding the court.

An assessor is a member of the public with no legal training and is provided for under criminal trials and always gives their unbinding opinion to the court before it proceeds to deliver its final verdict.

The prosecution in their summary of the evidence presented to the court stated that they have gathered sufficient evidence to pin Sipapa and his wife in regards to the alleged robbery of USD429,000 ( about Shs1.6b) from Jacob Arok Nul Mayendit, a South Sudanese businessman.

They also contend that they have evidence to prove that Sipapa, a businessman dealing in gold, cars and promoter of musicians, and Nakiyemba a designer and others still at large on the night of August 29, 2022, at Bunga Kawuku, Makindye Division engaged in money laundering.

The prosecution further alleges that the duo robbed one Mayendit and Mary Ateng of USD429.000 (about Shs1.6 billion), two mobile phones, a Samsung flat screen TV 75 inches, and an Apple MacBook among others and immediately before or after, used a substance on their victims which rendered them unconscious.

During the subsequent investigations, detectives tracked down an iCloud signal from one of the alleged stolen iPhones that led them to the socialite’s home at Kityo close in Buwate in Kira Division.

Occupants told detectives that the home belonged to Sipapa, who was not at home and a thorough search was conducted in the presence of Nakiyimba, and exhibits of evidential material, allegedly stolen from the home of Mayendit were recovered.

They include; $70,000 (about Shs267m), four iPhones, three laptops, gold jewelry, an iPhone charger and a Mac pro charger.  

Also recovered were two registration number plates; UBG 025B and UBA 023U.

In addition, an assortment of car accessories was recovered. They include two amplifiers, six tool boxes, four sports vims, a rear car seat, 12 headlights, indicators, a jeep bumper, V8 bumper, V8 rear boot doors, bonnet, three radiators, four inner door shutters, V8 rear boot doors and seven grills.

Two cars; a jeep and an Audi, without registration plates had been resprayed with a red colour and found in the compound.

According to the evidence on record, the accused on August 30, 2022, purchased a brand-new air compressor that was being used to re-spray the jeep in their compound for purposes of concealing and disguising ownership and the true source of the car and this was done between September 1 and 3, 2022 a few days after the robbery.

It is prosecution evidence that after learning that they were wanted by the police, the two accused with the intention of hiding and concealing the vehicles, plucked off stickers labeled Sipapa and handed over three vehicles which included the Jeep, Land Rover, and numberless Land Cruiser to a one Elizabeth Kobusingye.

Among the pieces of evidence that the prosecution intends to rely on include; a search certificate including exhibits recovered from their residence, a police form showing the peeling skin of the vehicles; and for Mayendit, showing he was drowsy and mentally unstable, and agreement of land sale of the victims among others.

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