PALLISA: The Member of Parliament for Pallisa County, Samuel Otukol, has been summoned by the Police’s Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) in connection with attacking a journalist.
In a letter dated November 22, 2021 sent through the Speaker of Parliament, Kato Paul Tumuhimbise, the CID Director, summoned the MP to report to the CID headquarters on Wednesday, November 24.
“This Directorate is conducting inquiries into the allegations of Assault case, against Mr. Bunya Emmanuel. It is alleged that on 19th November, 2021, at Anti-corruption Court Kololo you did assault the above-mentioned Bunya Emmanuel,” the letter reads.
“This is therefore to summon you to CID HQTRS on 24th November 2021 at 10:00am before D/ASP Sowedi Mohamed for statement recording,” the letter adds.
In a video that went viral, Otukol was on Friday seen chasing and beating up a journalist who was taking pictures of him as he appeared before the Anti-Corruption Court on charges of embezzlement of over Shs.2b. The MP reportedly accused the journalist of taking his pictures without his permission.
Otukol was arrested in February by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit for allegedly conniving with the accounting officers of Apac, Jinja, Manafwa, Butebo and Namisindwa to swindle over Shs.2 billion meant for staff salaries.
The MPs and accounting officers in the mentioned municipalities and local governments allegedly connived and colluded with the directors of different companies under the guise of loan deductions and took the salaries.
According to the prosecution, the accused invested the money in Saccos and private companies.
On his arrest, Otukol and his group, claimed that the money was to pay the loan arrears for the district teachers, which was not true, according to prosecution.
Otukol was on Friday charged with theft and conspiracy to commit a felony while the other three were charged with abuse of office, causing financial loss to the government and conspiracy to felony.
Under Section 254 and 261 of the Penal Code Act, the offence of theft attracts a maximum sentence of 10-years imprisonment, on conviction.
The head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, Lt Col Edith Nakalema, condemned the MP’s action of attacking the journalist.
“Therefore, I think the act of an ill-mannered Honourable MP will not stop the Unit from exposing the corrupt. It’s through their exposure that a strong signal is sent to the would be corrupt to think twice before rationalizing to commit a fraud,” he said.
