Simon Toolit Akecha, the former Omoro County MP candidate and current petitioner against the election of Hon Jacob Oulanyah, has disappeared mysteriously.
Toolit’s friends claim he was picked from his home by suspected security officials on Tuesday night.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga was yet to respond to our queries when we posted this story on Wednesday afternoon.
However, a Kampala-based lawyer said it was suspected Toolit was in the hands of the police for a ‘crime yet to be disclosed.’
The development came just a day after the commencement of the hearing of Toolit’s election petition with court today expected to give a ruling on some preliminary points of law.
Contacted, Deputy Speaker Jacob Oulanya said he had been informed about this development.
Oulanya speaks
“I saw the report early in the morning. They are trying to play a game to delay the dismissal of his case,” said Oulanya when contacted by this website.
“Why would anyone abduct Toolit? To achieve what?” he wondered.
ChimpReports has seen purported emails and SMS from Toolit passing on good wishes to Oulanya.
“Congratulation Rt Hon for retaining your position as Deputy Speaker. I look forward to your reconciliation to build a better Omoro and Uganda together. Thanks Simon Toolit Akecha,” reads Toolit’s message to the Deputy Speaker on Saturday May 21, 2016 at 11:52am.
The following day, May 22, Toolit wrote an email under the tile, ‘Alternative Resolution/Reconciliation Settle’, to Oulanya, seeking settlement of the court case.
It reads: “Good morning my brother in Christ. Congratulation Rt Hon. May the Almighty Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit give you abundance in your life and blessed Sunday.
I have renewed my faith as a Born Again Christian with Apostle Salim of World Prophetic and Deliverance Ministries and I feel we are now one in Christ.
As we discussed with Amb Dr Robert, I wish we end this case by Alternative Resolution/Reconciliation Settle as the Judge handling the case is encouraging other to do so. Acire Christopher Vs Okumu Reagan and Okot Amos Vs Prof Ogenga Latigo were told to do so. My interest as Amb Dr Robert might have told you is to join the ruling party and we work as a team for the development of our Country. Thank you. May the Lord Jesus Christ Bless You. Simon”.
Battle
Oulanyah was on February 19, a day after the elections, declared winner by the Gulu Returning Officer, Benson Obete with 8,218 votes.
The closest rival Simon Tolit Akecha who polled 6,823 votes went to the court with a petition saying Oulanya’s victory was a fraud.
After filing the petition, Tolit who held the seat from 2006 to 2011 before being dislodged by Oulanyah, told reporters in Gulu town that he had strong grounds for Court to nullify the results.