The Kasangati Chief Magistrate’s Court has once again adjourned the case in which former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) top officials face 57 counts related to the Kiteezi landfill tragedy that claimed more than 30 lives.
The accused, former Executive Director Dorothy Kisaka, her deputy Engineer Edward Ssali Luyimbazi, and Director of Public Health Dr. Daniel Okello, are out on bail.
On Tuesday, Chief Magistrate Beatrice Khainza adjourned the matter to March 25, 2025, after the prosecution informed the court that the state was not ready to proceed, citing ongoing key inquiries.
However, the defense team, led by Apollo Makubuya, expressed frustration over the repeated delays.
Makubuya argued that the prosecution had previously stated it was ready to proceed when charges were read, yet it continued to delay the trial, denying the accused justice.
He urged the court to consider this the final adjournment. Makubuya also informed the court that the defense had requested disclosure of evidence and emphasised the need for timely access so that the accused could prepare their defense.
In response, prosecutor Betty Twaidu Kirwa assured the court that evidence would be disclosed as soon as inquiries were complete, requesting more time to finalise the process.
The prosecution alleges that between July 2020 and August 10, 2024, at various locations in Kampala, Kiteezi Landfill, Lusanja Village, and Kasangati Town Council (Wakiso District), the accused were responsible for the safe management of the landfill.
They are accused of committing a series of unlawful acts or omissions that led to the deaths of 34 people and caused harm to 23 others.
Among the alleged offenses is the continued operation of Kiteezi landfill without the necessary permits and licenses.
Authorities also accuse the operators of failing to close the landfill despite warnings of imminent danger and neglecting to take immediate remedial action upon notification of risks to life and property.
Additionally, they are alleged to have permitted large-scale waste disposal despite clear warnings of a looming disaster and failed to evacuate or warn the neighboring community about the impending danger of a garbage slide.
The accused were first arraigned in court on October 18, 2024, following their dismissal “in public interest” by President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and a subsequent report from the Inspectorate of Government.
They were charged with 57 counts, including manslaughter, causing death by rash or negligent acts, and causing harm by rash or negligent acts.
They denied the charges and were granted bail on November 4, 2024, after spending over two weeks in Luzira Prison.
The Kiteezi landfill, a massive waste management site in Kasangati Town Council, Wakiso District, serves Kampala City, Mukono, and Wakiso municipal and town councils.
On August 10, 2024, the landfill collapsed, triggering a deadly tragedy.
Dorothy Kisaka had assumed office as KCCA Executive Director on July 23, 2020, following a recommendation by President Museveni and approval by the Public Service Commission.
Under the KCCA Act, 2011, her responsibilities included overseeing service delivery in Kampala, managing public funds, and providing technical advisory services to the authority.
Following the disaster, the landfill also caught fire, and Kisaka was later replaced by Hajati Sharifa Buzeki.
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