KAMPALA – A police officer attached to Lugazi police station Detective Sgt Tom Alyanga Embish has been charged with two counts of abuse of office and extortion of UGX100, 000 from a suspect as an inducement not to register a case against him.
Detective Sgt Alyanga appeared before Grade one magistrate Abert Asiimwe at the Kololo based Anti-Corruption Court who read the charges to him.
Alyanga has however not pleaded guilty to all the charges slapped against him and has asked to be released on bail.
Through his lawyer Jimmy Agasa, he told court that he has substantial sureties, has a fixed place of abode, the offence is bailable .
They included his Bweyogere Landlord John Bidandi and businessman plus Richard Kihembo who is his neighbour.
However, the State Prosecutor Carol Tabaro had objected to his bail application arguing that the sureties are not substantial.
Tabaro noted that the sureties are not directly related to the accused and him being a tenant, he stands high chances of shifting from where he is renting now. She explained that in such circumstances, it would be difficult to trace him in case need arises.
However, the trial Magistrate Abert has granted him bail on condition that he pays UGX 500,000 cash in the bank and also deposit his original passport with court.
Court also ordered his sureties to execute a non-cash bond of UGX 20 million and ordered them to deposit their land titles in court.
Prosecution alleges that between May 22 and 23 2019, Alyanga extorted shillings 100,000 for himself from a one Innocent Mwebaze as an inducement for him not to register a case of obtaining money by false pretense which had reportedly been reported by Violet Nakalyana at Lugazi Police Station.
In an alternative count of extortion, it is alleged that on the same day at Naguru and Lugazi Police Station, Embish threatened to accuse the said Mwebaze of committing an offense of obtaining money by false pretense.
Alyanga was arrested by the State House Anti-corruption unit on site after he jumped police bond in June.
Court has heard from the state prosecutor Carol Tabaro that police investigations into the matter are complete and court should fix the matter for hearing.
The case has been adjourned to August 29, 2019, for mention.
