By Andrew Irumba
Arua: A Uganda Police Force (UPF) constable had admitted that he lied to court while giving evidence in a case against Mityana municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake Butebi.
Zaake is charged with among other cases escaping from lawful custody on 13th August 2018, when he was taken to Rubaga hospital by police detectives for treatment after sustaining injuries following the Arua Municipality by-elections fracas. Constable Richard Olonylast month said that he had been summoned by court on phone to testify since he was in charge of the cell where Zaake was being detained.
Olony was then ordered by Magistrate Swaleh Asiku to bring to court the phone printout showing the summons from court. However, today Friday May 24th, 2019, Olony said that he hadn’t been summoned by court. Olony said he had taken the court process to be a joke and asked for forgiveness. “My worship I’m sorry for telling lies to this court and I beg for forgiveness,” said Olony. Olony’s apology was after Zaake’s Lawyer Medard Ssegona tasked him during cross-examination to produce evidence of the summons he claimed court gave him, which he could not avail. State Prosecutor led by William Bayo, presented 3 more witnesses against Zaake. They include; Dr Andrew Adebo, an Intern-Doctor then attached to the emergency ward in Arua hospital to whom MP Zaake was first handed. He told court that he handed the MP to DR. Joe Odoch after seeing multiple injuries on the MP. “When I handed the MP to Dr Odoch, that was the end of my work with the MP,” said Dr Adebo.
Meanwhile another witness Herbert Wanyoto, the Regional Intelligence Officer West Nile presented to Court three number plates UG 2476C Toyota Land Cruiser Station Wagon one of the President’s Official Cars, UAW 986S white Toyota Hiace Mini Bus belonging to State House and UP 5537 Toyota Corona Police Presidential Lead Car as vehicles that were reportedly damaged by Kassiano Wadri’s supporters. Wanyoto, however, told Court that the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) advised him to exclude the police car and the Toyota Hiace mini Bus as exhibits from the charge sheet of treason being handled in Gulu, thereby creating more confusion in the case.
