Three charged, remanded over theft of telecommunication cables
L-R: Paul Kato, Fredrick Makumbi and Edison Saava in the dock at Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife court on Friday. Photo | Juliet Kigongo
What you need to know:
- The trio appeared before the Makindye-based Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife court, presided over by Grade One Magistrate Siena Owomugisha, who read the charges and informed them of their right to apply for bail.
Three people, Edison Saava, Paul Kato, and Fredrick Makumbi, have been charged and remanded to Luzira prison for allegedly stealing over 218 meters of direct current cables belonging to the American Tower Corporation.
The trio appeared before the Makindye-based Standards, Utilities, and Wildlife court, presided over by Grade One Magistrate Siena Owomugisha, who read the charges and informed them of their right to apply for bail.
Saava 25, is a peasant and resident of Nakaliro village, Kayunga Town Council, and Kato, 28, an electrician and Makumbi, 26, a driver are both residents of Kyabakuza trading centre, Kimanywa Kabonera, zone, Masaka City.
They denied the charges of damaging telecommunication installation, criminal trespass and malicious damage.
Magistrate Owomugisha remanded them until August 19 for mention of the case and instructed the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) to expedite investigations.
According to the charge sheets, Saava faces the charge of malicious damage for allegedly damaging radio remote unit power cables connected to a telecommunication mast in Jinja city.
Kato and Makumbi face four charges related to the theft of cables from various American Tower Corporation masts in Lwengo District and Masaka City, with values ranging from Shs882,712 to Shs1.3 million.
Prosecution states that on July 8, 2024, at Wanyama cell, Bugembe northern division in Jinja City, Saava unlawfully and willfully cut, damaged and tampered with radio remote unit power cables, that were connected to a telecommunication mast owned and operated by American Tower Corporation in Bugembe, Jinja and also entered the said piece of land.
Prosecution states that Kato, Makumbi and others still at large at Nkoni, Lwengo district, on May 20, 2024, unlawfully and willfully tampered, damaged and removed ninety-eight meters of direct current cables from an American tower corporation’s mast, site no: 605043 located at Nkoni, Lwengo District.
It is the prosecution case that on May 31, 2024, the duo unlawfully and willfully tampered, damaged and removed thirty meters of direct current (dc) cables from an American tower corporation’s mast, site no: 607753, located at KImanya, Masaka City.
Prosecution further contends that the duo and others still at large at Kalisizo town, on May 31, 2024 unlawfully and willfully tampered, damaged and removed fifty meters of direct current cables and approximately twenty meters of earthing wires from an American tower corporation’s mast no: 605750 located at Kalisizo town.
Prosecution further states the duo and others still at large at Nyendo town, Masaka city, on July 3, 2024 unlawfully and willfully tampered, damaged and removed forty meters of direct current (dc) cables from an American tower corporation’s mast no: 605222 located at Nyendo town, Masaka city.
It is further alleged that on July 25, 2024, at Nkoni, Lwengo district, the duo unlawfully did enter into or upon the land in possession and use by American Tower Corporation with the intent to tamper, destroy and/or annoy American Tower Corporation by stealing telecom equipment from a mast at site no: 605043 located at Nkoni, Lwengo District.
