Makindye Magistrate’s Court has issued criminal summons to businessman Lodoviko Mwanje who is behind the destruction of St Peters Church Ndeeba.
The Church was razed down on Sunday night prompting public condemnation and several arrests of the demolishers, police officers who supervised the demolition and KCCA acting director of physical planning who sanctioned the destruction.
However, Court had earlier summoned the person claiming the land where the church sits and Mr Lodoviko didn’t appear in Court on Thursday alongside 18 co-accused.
The accused who were arrested by the State House Anti-corruption unit appeared before Makindye Court Grade One magistrate, Jude Okumu, where they denied the charges.
The police officers are separately faced four counts including disobedience of lawful orders of the commander of Kampala Metropolitan area Moses Kafeero; who had ordered them to deploy security at St. Peter’s church in Ndeeba in order to avert any demolition or destruction at the said church.
The officers are also charged with theft of chairs, doors and other property belonging to the church.
However, court heard that Mwanje was still large and not yet in custody, compelling the magistrate to issue criminal summons for him.
Prosecution states that on August 10, 2020, twelve people used an excavator to break and cause damage to St. Peter’s church Ndeeba; a property of the Church of Uganda.
The accused who denied all the counts were remanded until August 24, 2020 for hearing of their bail applications.
