The hearing of the theft case against city socialite Charles Olimi, known as Sipapa, has been postponed by the Makindye Chief Magistrate’s court. The delay is due to the absence of a forensic expert needed for the case. The new hearing date is set for June 6, 2024.
Sipapa is facing serious charges, including theft of Sh169 million and breaking into an office. Last year, when he appeared before Grade One Magistrate Esther Adikini, Sipapa denied these charges, asserting his innocence. According to the Penal Code Act, if found guilty, Sipapa could face up to seven years for office breaking and ten years for theft.
On Thursday, the scheduled hearing did not proceed as planned. State Attorney Harriet Adong informed the court that the forensic expert was unavailable, leading her to request an adjournment. Trial Magistrate Adikini accepted this request and postponed the hearing to early June, with Sipapa remaining in custody until then.
The charges against Sipapa are connected to an incident on February 3, 2019. The prosecution alleges that Sipapa broke into the office of Waada Atsushi in Kisugu, Makindye Division, Kampala district, and stole various items. The stolen items reportedly included four Camon batteries, 11 camera lenses, five compact flashes, eight computers, five filters, four hard discs, an electronic dictionary, a backpack, an electric book, an extension tube, and a laptop bag. The total value of the stolen property is estimated at Sh169 million, and all items belonged to Atsushi.
The court will resume the case on June 6, 2024, hoping that the forensic expert will be available to provide necessary evidence. Until then, Sipapa will remain in custody as the legal process continues.
