Indian businessman shooting: Holder of killer gun charged over negligence, remanded
A Police Constable whose gun was used by Ivan Wabwire to shoot a moneylender on Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala last week has been arraigned before court, charged and subsequently remanded.
Steven Mulombo who has since been dismissed from police with disgrace was on Friday afternoon arraigned before Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate, Asuman Muhumuza and two counts of neglect of duty and failure to keep a firearm and ammunition read to him.
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Prosecution led by Allan Mucunguzi told court that Mulombo, 34 committed the offence on May, 12 at the Central Police in Kampala when he neglected to protect his gun, an SMG rifle together with 120 rounds that he abandoned and was picked by Police Constable Ivan Wabwire and later used it to kill Uttam Bhandari.
The neglect of duty is contrary to section 114 of the Penal Code Act .
Prosecution also accused Mulombo of failure to keep his firearm and ammunition by placing them in a place where they were not supposed to be kept and they were later stolen by Wabwire.
This is contrary to section 30(1) (a) (b )of the Penal Code Act.
However, Mulombo denied all the charges.
In response, the state prosecutor told court that investigations into the matter are now complete.
Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate, Asuman Muhumuza remanded Mulombo to Luzira government prison and adjourned the matter to June 13 when the case will return for trial before magistrate, Fidelis Otwao.
Problems
Mulombo’s problems started when his gun was picked by fellow Police Constable Ivan Wabwire who later used it to kill Uttam Bhandari, the director of TFS Financial Services along Parliamentary Avenue over a shs2,130,000 loan the police officer owed the company.
Police recently said that instead of returning the gun to the armoury as the procedure is before moving out of the station, Mulombo left it unattended to in the room that he shared with Wabwire, prompting the later to pick it and use it to commit a crime.
The police disciplinary court has since sat and dismissed Mulombo from the force with disgrace.
On the other hand, Wabwire has also been charged with murder and consequently remanded to Luzira.
