BREAKING: End of the road! Jinja RDC Sakwa relieved of duties

Jinja RDC Eric Sakwa has been interdicted. (FILE PHOTO)

Jinja – Jinja Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Eric Sakwa’s woes have taken another twist leading up to his sacking

The embattled RDC Sakwa has on Friday, May 9 been relieved of his duties and barred from exercising his powers instituted in the role with immediate effect.

According to a letter sanctioned by the Secretary, Office of the President, Hajji Yunus Kakande, Mr. Sakwa was relieved of his duties as RDC and he has been blocked from leaving the country.

In accordance with Section F – S paragraph of the Public service Standing Orders(2010), you are hereby interdicted in your position as a Resident District Commissioner and therefore barred from exercising the powers and function of your office with immediate effect,” read part of the letter

In the latest development, Eric Sakwa has been barred from leaving the country and commensurate to remuneration of less than half – subjected to a refund if the charges are dropped.

In the issued letter, Hajji Yunus Kakande discloses that Jinja district internal security officer takes over from Sakwa in an interim capacity.

The salary reductions are subject to refund in case the suspension is lifted and charges are dropped, the PS said in his letter ordering the controversial RDC’s interdiction.

The Jinja RDC, Eric Sakwa, was, on Wednesday, April 29, been granted bail by Chief Magistrate’s Court in Jinja via ZOOM Conferencing Technology from Kirinya Prison

The Chief Magistrate of Jinja Court, Jessica Chemeri granted Eric Sakwa bail until May 5, 2020, when Court begins hearing charges preferred against him with a payment a non-cash bail of UGX5 million, as one of the bail conditions and prohibited from discussing the case until the case hearings.

The Jinja RDC was on Friday, April 24, arrested by operatives attached to Lt. Col. Edith Nakalema’s State House Anti-Corruption Unit on allegations of torture, theft and manslaughter.

The outspoken RDC former Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) boss was picked from Nizam based Radio Station, NBS fm, while appearing on a talk show amid tight security and later taken to Jinja High court where he was charged with manslaughter and theft.

Other suspects on the charge sheet include Bazimbwewa Bumali and Muhammad Simba.

’He is accused of ordering the military to torture locals and personally involving in the brutalization of people under the disguise of implementing the president’s directives during the lockdown’’, a source said.

He, however, denied the allegations against him saying he has not yet tortured anyone, but the claims are fabricated by politicians and his rivals including another RDC whom he says are interested in his job.

Sakwa’s arrest is linked to the death of a one Charles Isanga who is said to have died after alleged torture by the RDC and his team and claims of torturing Pastor Andrew Muwanguzi, a strong loyalist of Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine.

The charge sheet presented to Jinja Magistrate’s Court, Sakwa, 38, between March 22 and April 17 this year at Lwanda Village in Jinja District, unlawfully, caused the death of Charles Isanga.

The trio – accused of stealing shs three crates of beer, eggs, sodas and other items belonging to the deceased valued at 430,000, appeared before magistrate Ann Kobusingye, who remanded them to Kirinya prison