By Michael Odeng and Barbra Kabahumuza
The Chief Magistrates’ Court in Makindye has for the second time charged city socialite, Charles Olimi, who is better known as Sipapa, with the theft of sh169m and office breaking.
Appearing before the acting Chief Magistrate, Lorna Tukundane on Wednesday, November 30, Sipapa denied the charges, saying he did not commit the offence.
Under Sections 254, 261 and 297 of the Penal Code Act, the offence of office breaking attracts a maximum sentence of seven years imprisonment, while theft elicits a 10-year jail term, upon conviction.
The prosecution alleges that Sipapa broke into the office of Waada Atsushi and stole his property on February 3, 2019, in Kisugu, Makindye Division in Kampala district.
According to the prosecution, Sipapa allegedly stole four Camon batteries, 11 camera lenses, five compact flashes, eight computers, five filters, four hard discs, one electric dictionary, a backpack, an electric book, an extension tube and a laptop bag – all valued at sh169m.
All the items reportedly belonged to Atsushi.
“I pray that you adjourn the case to another date for mention because investigations into the matter are still ongoing,” the state prosecutor from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Hope Mutoni, requested.
Previous charge
In September this year, 33-year-old Sipapa and his wife Shamilah Nakiyimba were arraigned before the same magistrate on charges of aggravated robbery.
Under Sections 285 and 286 of the Penal Code Act, the offence attracts a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
The duo, however, were not allowed to take a plea on the charges by the magistrate because the offence is capital in nature and only triable by the High Court, which has jurisdiction to handle the matter.
Sipapa and his wife are accused of robbing a South Sudanese national of sh1.6b. Investigations into the matter are also still ongoing.
Allegations
The prosecution alleges that the two and others still at large robbed Jacob Mul Arok of $429,000 (sh1.6b) on the night of August 29, 2022, in Bunga-Kawuku, Makindye division in Kampala district.
On the same night, the accused also allegedly robbed Arok of a silver blue iPhone valued at $3,200 (sh12.2m), and a 75-inch Samsung flat-screen television valued at $4000 (sh15.3m), among items.
The couple, according to the prosecution, immediately before and after the robbery used a substance on Arok, which rendered him unconscious.
They are also accused of robbing Mary Ateng, Abig Yar and James Manyok of two Apple laptops, a DELL laptop and gold jewellery, among others.
The accused are expected to appear before the court on December 12, 2022, to know the status of investigations into the matter.
