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State attorney charged with receiving Shs1.5m to close a defilement case
Masindi Chief Resident State Attorney Charles Bwiso Bogere is accused of soliciting a gratification of Shs1.5m from the relatives of a suspect in a defilement case in exchange for closure of the case. COURTESY PHOTO/STATE HOUSE ANTI CORRUPTION
What you need to know:
- Prosecution states that Mr Bwiso and Sgt Rehema on March 3 at Masindi Town solicited a gratification of Shs1.5m from the relatives of a suspect in a defilement case in exchange for closure of the case.
Masindi Chief Resident State Attorney from the office of Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was yesterday arraigned before the Anti-Corruption Court in Kampala and charged with accepting a bribe of Shs1.5m to close a defilement case.
While appearing before Chief Magistrate Joan Aciro, Mr Charles Bwiso Bogere, 55, a resident of Fortunate Guest House in Masindi Municipality, together with D/Sgt Rehema Kunihira, 42, a police officer, attached to Masindi Police Barracks, denied the charges.
Prosecution states that Mr Bwiso and Sgt Rehema on March 3 at Masindi Town solicited a gratification of Shs1.5m from the relatives of a suspect in a defilement case in exchange for closure of the case.
Under count two of the charge of corruption, prosecution states that the duo on March 10 in performance of their public functions, accepted Shs1m from the relatives of the suspect.
The duo was arrested last week after the complainant tipped the State House Anti-Corruption Unit headed by Brig Gen Henry Isoke about the bribe.
The Unit went on and provided the complainant with the money, whose serial numbers were photocopied as evidence. A trap was later laid and the state attorney was allegedly arrested receiving the bribe.
State House Anti-Corruption Unit later tweeted: “In a joint intervention today, by State House, Anti-Corruption Unit and police, resident state attorney Bwiiso was caught red-handed receiving a bribe of Shs1.5m from the suspect’s family.”
According to the court documents, relatives revealed to the detectives that the two families had agreed to have the matter resolved amicably.
Through their lawyers, the duo applied for bail yesterday, stating that they have fixed places of abode and that the offences are bailable.
They claimed to have substantial sureties, including relatives and friends who will ensure their attendance of court whenever required.
The accused persons were released on a cash bail of Shs600,000 with their sureties being bonded at a noncash bail of Shs40m.
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