The Kampala Capital City Authority-KCCA City Hall Court has charged and remanded a 26-year-old man, Ronald Katende, with depositing garbage in a drainage channel.
Katende, a resident of Katwe in Kampala. His troubles started when he was captured in a viral video removing garbage from a tricycle commonly known as tuku-tuku and depositing it in a drainage system during a heavy downpour within the City.
Katende was later tracked down following a complaint by KCCA and was arrested and detained at Central Police Station in Kampala, where he spent a night before his production in Court on Tuesday.
Senior Grade One Magistrate Edgar Karakire charged him with one offense of depositing waste in an undesignated place contrary to section 97 of the National Environmental Act.
Katende pleaded guilty, but the prosecution asked for more time to prepare brief facts regarding how he committed the crime before the Court could convict him.
According to the National Environmental Act, if convicted, Katende will be subjected to pay a fine of 11 million shillings or face imprisonment.
Despite his admission of charges, Katende pleaded with the Magistrate to release him on saying that he has a wife who is pregnant.
However, Katende’s pleas didn’t persuade the Magistrate, who ordered that he should be remanded until April 15th 2025, as prosecution’s Charles Kutosi prepares the brief facts.
Katende will also be sentenced on that day, should he maintain his plea of guilty after reading brief facts about the case to him.
KCCA Executive Director Sharifah Buzeki has, since the assumption of office, appealed to the public to desist from dumping waste indiscriminately, as most of this, she said, ends up clogging the channels, which affects water flow.
She notes that wider drains ensure easy flow and faster clearance of storm water whenever it rains and that KCCA is committed to improving drainage systems in the city to mitigate flooding challenges.
Katende’s case also comes at a time when heavy rains have caused floods in the city, paralyzing traffic, business and destroying property.
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