President Yoweri Museveni has sent Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Eric Sakwa on forced as the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) investigates the murder charges he is facing.
The directive was issued in a letter written by President Museveni to the Minster in Charge of the Presidency Hon. Esther Mbayo, dated May 11, 2020, instructing her to handle the matter to its logical end.
Despite court on Wednesday, May 20, ruling that Sakwa’s interdiction was unlawful and saying that he can return to his job, the President said allegations for which his representative in Jinja is being accused of are very grave and he cannot continue holding office in the circumstances.
“Sakwa is accused of being present when a mwananchi was being beaten by LDUs and that Mwananchi later died. I have since got information that this was a frame-up by corrupt people in Jinja that are fighting Sakwa because of his good work,” Mr Museveni said in a May 20, 2020 letter.
He added that whereas the allegations may be false, they cannot be taken lightly and should be thoroughly investigated. Sakwa was interdicted following his legal woes that stemmed from the death of a one Sanga Charles, a resident of Lwanda Village in Mafubira Sub county Jinja District, who was allegedly tortured on orders of the RDC.
“A Ugandan dying is very serious. It is in the best interests of Sakwa for facts to come out establishing the truth. Was he at the scene when the mwananchi was being beaten? That would be bad enough even if the mwananchi did not die. Violence by security forces should only be used in self-defence. Even then, it should only be violence to subdue the suspect and arrest but not anything else,” the President said.
“It is good that Sakwa got bail. Let him go on leave for two months and work with the Director of Public Prosecutions and court to get the facts and conclude the case. This is not a political matter for dialogue. It is a serious criminal allegation. If the accusers of Sakwa are lying, it will boomerang on them,” he added.
He added that whereas the allegations may be false, they cannot be taken lightly and should be thoroughly investigated. Sakwa was interdicted following his legal woes that stemmed from the death of a one Sanga Charles, a resident of Lwanda Village in Mafubira Sub county Jinja District, who was allegedly tortured on orders of the RDC.
“A Ugandan dying is very serious. It is in the best interests of Sakwa for facts to come out establishing the truth. Was he at the scene when the mwananchi was being beaten? That would be bad enough even if the mwananchi did not die. Violence by security forces should only be used in self-defence. Even then, it should only be violence to subdue the suspect and arrest but not anything else,” the President said.
“It is good that Sakwa got bail. Let him go on leave for two months and work with the Director of Public Prosecutions and court to get the facts and conclude the case. This is not a political matter for dialogue. It is a serious criminal allegation. If the accusers of Sakwa are lying, it will boomerang on them,” he added.
Sakwa was on April 25th arrested and charged with manslaughter, a crime of killing a person without malice aforethought (conscious intent to kill).
According to the charge sheet, between March 22 and April 17, at Lwanda Village in Jinja District, Sakwa unlawfully caused the death of Charles Isanga, a businessman.
Sakwa was jointly charged with Bumali Bazimbyewa, 19, a mechanic, and Simba Mohammed, alias, Meddie, 31, a businessman in Jinja, before being remanded to Kirinya government prison in Jinja until May 13, when he was granted bail.
Sakwa, his co-accused and alleged accomplices who are still at large, according to prosecution, allegedly stole Shs80,000, three crates of beer, eight trays of eggs, sachets of waragi and soda, valued at approximately Shs429,000 from Isanga’s shop on the day he was murdered.
