Africa-Press – Uganda. Plain-clothed security operatives and uniformed police officers have searched the home of former State Minister for East African Community (EAC) Affairs, Mr Julius Maganda, following a tip-off that he was in possession of stolen iron sheets from the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM).
Mr Jacob Mangeni, the Bulekei ‘B’ Village defence secretary, said police had started deploying at Mr Maganda’s home last Thursday.
“It started as a rumour that he (Maganda) was in possession of iron sheets from the OPM, and shortly after, we saw police deploying,” Mr Mangeni said at the weekend.
He added that as defence secretary in the village, he tried to access the home of Mr Maganda, who is also the former Member of Parliament for Samia Bugwe South, but was denied access by police.
The search of Mr Maganda’s home in Bulekei ‘B’ Village, Lunyo Sub-county, comes after the OPM was last year hit with a scandal when it emerged that several ministers had dubiously taken iron sheets that were meant for the vulnerable people of Karamoja.
The scandal led to the arrest of the Minister of Karamoja Affairs, Ms Mary Goretti Kitutu, her junior minister, Agnes Nandutu and State Minister for Finance (Planning), Mr Amos Lugoloobi, among others.
Mr Ronald Bwire, a resident of Bulekei Village, said before allegations that Mr Maganda had iron sheets from the OPM started, some young men had been arrested and locked up at Lunyo Police Post for allegedly stealing chicken, iron sheets, a water pump and welding machine from the ex-minister’s farm.
“After we arrested these boys, Mr Maganda’s political opponents told police that the iron sheets in question were from the OPM, prompting police, led by the Busia District Police Commander, Mr Didas Byaruhanga, to deploy at Mr Maganda’s home,” Mr Bwire added.
Mr Byaruhanga was joined by the deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mr Grace Kanuna, Internal Security Organisation (ISO) operatives, and the Busia district Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (CIID) officer, Mr Tibbs Asiimwe.
Mr Kanuna later said the aim of their visit to Mr Maganda’s home was to search and establish whether he was in possession of government property.
After a brief interaction with several of the ex-minister’s supporters, who had gathered, the investigative officers searched his and his late mother’s house for two hours, after which they found ordinary gauge 32 iron sheets, which Mr Maganda said had been bought to roof part of his poultry farm.
Mr Kanuna later told the media they had not found the said iron sheets from the OPM as it had been alleged, apologised to Mr Maganda, and withdrew all deployment at his home.
Mr Maganda said even when Police cordoned off his home, he was confident that he did not have the iron sheets, and accused one of the area Members of Parliament of furnishing Police with false information.
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