Two Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers are being detained by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence for acquiring money under false pretence.
The two are Captain Lamek M. Kimula, an acting adjutant attached to the 65 Infantry Battalion, and Captain Gerald Bitindi Byamugisha, Chieftain of Pensions and Gratuity in the UPDF-COPG.
Byamugisha and Kimula are accused of opening fictitious bank accounts in 2017 in the name of the late Major General James Kazini’s widow, Mosiko Lela, at the Pride Microfinance City Branch in Kampala with the intent to defraud. The accounts were later renewed to 204206051074101.
Records obtained show that Byamugisha and Kimula left COPG after being accused of misusing and stealing pension funds and survivors benefits intended for Kazini’s widow.
According to the documents, the prosecution’s case against the two would be made up of bank statements, witness testimonies from others who helped open bogus accounts, like Boniface Ddamulira, Michael Bantaliza, and Erunasani Wasswa, and statements from the complaint.
The accused have not yet been formally charged with crimes relating to stealing Kazini’s pension at the General Court Martial.
Despite the fact that Byamugisha was detained around four months ago by the Court Martial, when he went to report for bond as a prerequisite on other instances also involving stealing people’s pensions, he was apprehended there.
However, following a careful and thorough review of the file, UPDF Director of Prosecutions Lt. Col. Raphael Mugisha wrote to the Director of Special Investigations Branch Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence to request some crucial evidence in order to successfully prosecute the case in question.
According to him, the CMI needs to get a statement from Col. Deborah Nayebare regarding the IPPS account in order to get a clear explanation of who she handed over the office to before traveling to the United States of America and how she discovered it when she got home.
obtaining call records or phone printouts between the accused and the people who opened the fictitious accounts.
The prosecution also requests that the CMI determine when and exactly how the complainant’s account changed from Equity Bank to Pride Microfinance Bank using the accounts of the Ministry of Defense and Veteran Affairs and the Accounts Ministry of Finance’s Integrated Financial Management System (IFMS).
On November 10, 2009, in Wabigalo Zone, Makindye Division, Kampala district, Kazini was murdered by his previous mistress, Lydia Draru.
On November 16, 2009, Draru was charged with murder at Buganda Road Magistrates Court. The prosecution was unable to present any evidence of the crime, so Draru was sentenced to 14 years in prison for manslaughter.
After serving her sentence, Draru was released entirely on January 12th, 2021, following a four-year pardon for good behavior.
