ISO Operative, Simon Odongo Remanded to Makindye Barracks

The head of cyber department at Internal Security Organisation (ISO), Simon Peter Odongo has been charged and remanded to Makindye Military Barracks.

He was on Thursday charged with illegal possession of government stores and espionage.

Odongo was arrested last week as he tried to resist arrest during a military investigation into theft of COVID-19 relief food in a Kampala suburb.

It is alleged Odongo tried to shoot at UPDF soldiers who nearly took him out of action.

According to the charges, Odongo was found in illegal possession of three guns, army jackets and uniforms.

Odongo’s arrest came amid accusations of fabricating and circulating audio tapes and WhatsApp conversations to frame businessmen and senior government officials.

In a resignation letter, ISO operative Alfred Idusso told the agency’s Director General, Kaka Bagyenda about Odongo’s misconduct.

“There are innumerable reports we’ve investigated that end up with Simon Peter Odongo having forged the evidence, but each time, they come to naught. Interestingly enough, Mr. Odongo comes to know the content of our reports and calls us to threaten us,” said Idusso.

Kayihura tapes

Idusso cited a fabricated audio tape used by ISO to frame former IGP Gen Kale Kayihura in the murder of ex AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi.

“This tape was created in that lab, and what is worse is that Mr. Odongo didn’t pay those boys. He told them that you (Kaka) commissioned that job and now they’re looking for ‘DG ISO” for their payment,” said Idusso in the leaked dossier.

“I have brought this issue to your attention several times and you dismiss it but I would think the prudent thing to do would be to at least check out my claims or if you don’t believe me, go to that house and ask for Solomon, he will give you much more detail about more jobs that they have done for “DG ISO” at the request of Mr. Odongo,’” said Idusso.

Odongo’s team is also suspected to have fabricated audios to implicate former UCC Executive Director Godfrey Mutabazi that he was picking money from MTN and State Minister for Finance David Bahati that he was involved in a plot with Rwanda to undermine President Museveni.

The jailed suspect is also thought to have fabricated stories to implicate former Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) Commissioner General Doris Akol in cases of bribery.

Odongo is also accused of telling President Museveni Museveni lies during a special meeting of ISO officials in 2017 that $38m had been stolen from the treasury by Treasury Secretary Keith Muhakanizi and Jim Muhwezi before being wired to banks in Malaysia.

A joint investigation with the support of foreign banking experts showed that Odongo’s reports were fictitious.