The self- proclaimed untouchable Pakistani investor Abid Alam has finally shed some tears. The man who instigated imprisonment for poor people from whom he grabbed land, and had others beaten up and their gardens destroyed, is now shedding a tear.
Abid Alam has been denied bail twice and now he has turned to President Museveni’s brother Gen Caleb Akandwanaho commonly known as Saleh Salim, for help.
Abid Alam’s second plea towards Salim Saleh follows denial of bail on Friday by Buganda Road court which further remanded him to Kitalya Maximum prison.
Abid Alam was arrested over cases ranging from plotting to defeat justice, gang rape, murder and illegal evictions, among others. He was remanded to Kitalya Prison last week however prior his arrest he tried to contact general Saleh to save him from the hostile grip of Lt.Col. Edith Nakalema’s Anti-corruption Unit but it was in vain.
On Friday, Abid expected the general to intervene and have the court give him bail, however, he was overwhelmed when the court reminded him once again that since he was not present in the court and the prison where he was confined, could not support video conferencing to enter-phase with the magistrate.
Abid Alam was first remanded on Thursday by Buganda Road Grade One magistrate Ketty Joan Acaa. Abid, who is the proprietor of Wamala Farm Enterprises Ltd, is facing charges of assault, gang rape, murder, malicious damage to property, among others.
Sources reveal that the investor took part in violent land evictions in Bukompe village, Nalutuntu sub-county, in the central district of Kassanda, where he allegedly evicted locals to expand his vast sugarcane plantation, which is about four-square-miles.
From there, his men also raided Maj Arthur Mugyenyi’s farm on 3rd April 2020 night and destroyed it. It is alleged that on the same night, Abid’s gang cut down three-acres of Mugenyi’s banana plantation, took away over 200 heads of cattle and 50 goats, destroyed three houses plus gang-raping the farm caretaker’s wife (Samuel Kyakabale’s wife) and roughly cut Kyakabale nearly to death for protesting against the raping his wife while their children are watching.
According to sources in Kasanda, Abid Alam’s impunity has been legendary and had co-opted the Police.
His luck ran out when his men invaded Maj Mugenyi’s farm who went directly to Lt. Col. Nakalema’s State House Anti-Corruption unit since he knew Kasanda Police was like a home to Abid Alam.
Sources reveal that when Abid Alam knew that Maj Mugenyi had run to Lt.Col. Nakalema, he ran to Nakeseke to see Gen Saleh to persuade him to intervene. He was however arrested on his way back at Matugga along the Kampala–Gulu Highway. It’s alleged that Abid Alam wanted Gen Saleh to call for reconciliation between the two but it failed since the law was at its work and the locals who were rapped by his goons demand justice are also another pressure.
Why this time could be hard for Abid Alam to escape justice!
The first mistake he made was attacking a farm of a well connected UPDF major Mugyenyi who is the deputy director for political intelligence at the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).
Also, Mugenyi comes from a well-connected family in Nyabushozi, Kiruhura district and his father Charles Rutembara were serious friends with late Amos Kaguta (President Museveni’s father).
It’s alleged that the moment Abid’s men invaded Mugenyi’s farm, he rang his father who directly informed president Museveni about the attack on his son’s property by a foreigner, a matter that forced Museveni to make a serious order through Inspector General of Police Ochola Martin and Lt Col Nakalema.
Following the president’s order and severally reports from the local community Nakalema’s unit arrested four police officers including Wamala Regional CID officer (Wilber Ostin Wanyama ), Kassanda District Police Commander, (Daniel Owellano), OC CID, Kassanda (Peter Beitera) and OC Records, Kassanda (Peter Beitera). The four were arrested over mismanaging case files, conspiracy to defeat justice and professional misconduct.
It’s alleged that over 27 case files against Abid Alam have been killed due to the impunity of the four police officers in charge. According Police spokesman Fred Enanga the four have been giving copies of the case files to Abid, which is against police conduct.
“Before their arrest, they had allegedly photocopied the rape case file (CRB 234/2020) against Abid’s men and given him a copy,” said Enanga.
On the same note Kassanda South MP, Simeo Nsubuga had reported Abid Alam to President Museveni and Museveni advised Gen Saleh to stop shielding Abid Alam.
Other sources later have revealed President Museveni has ordered deputy IGP Maj Gen. Sabiiti Muzeeyi and Nakalema to see that the ruthless tycoon is prosecuted and charged.
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