NEBBI, October 10, 2023 – Peter Kercan Prosper, a Grade II Magistrate working at Bbaale Magistrate Court in Kayunga district has been remanded to Koch Prison for allegedly stealing Shs 402 million meant to compensate community members in Nebbi district.
Court presided over by Cyrus Ssennoga Mawano, the Chief Magistrate Nebbi, heard from the prosecutors that Kercan who was mediating in a land conflict between the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, and 67 community members of Akuru in Angal Nyaravur Subcounty in Nebbi district fraudulently received the money to compensate victims for the damage soldiers of Uganda People’s Defence Force [UPDF] caused to their properties in 2003.
Kercan, 55, a resident of Panyango Subcounty in Pakwach district, will return to court on October 13, 2023, to lodge hear his bail application again after Ssennoga declined to hear it last week, saying the Resident State Attorney was absent and yet he is supposed to respond to the application.
“It is your constitutional right to apply for bail but, I’m not honoring your bail application in the absence of Resident State Attorney who should have perused through the file,” Ssennoga said.
The Resident District Commissioner Nebbi, Robert Abak said Kercan being a high profile public servant officer, will be handed over to Anti-Corruption Court for further prosecution after he diverted money meant to compensate Kwio residents whose properties were damaged by the UPDF in 2003.
“I hear Mr Kercan was suspended for about three years for being indiscipline and he has just been reinstated and this calls for the government to attach his properties,” Abak said.
One of the complainants , Justine Ongirea said they took government to court over criminal trespass by UPDF and damage of properties. The civil suit was registered in 2004 and the case was ruled in favour of the community members. It is said Kercan forged the power of attorney and other documents to receive the money on behalf of the plaintiffs.
“Most of our community members are still waiting to be compensated by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs after their properties were damaged by the UPDF,” Ongiera said.
However, Kercan wants the matter settled out of court. “I’m sorry for what happened between me and the community, and I am appealing that this case be settled out of court because I have the substantial sureties to be produced in court,” Kercan said.
If Kercan is found guilty, it might affect his retirement package since he is a serving officer in the judiciary. He is left with only 5 years to retire.
In 2017 Kercan who was a Grade II Magistrate at Nabweru Grade II Magistrate Court was suspended from work for resisting a transfer to Kiboga district.
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