By our reporter
Leader of the infamous Bodaboda 2010, Abdallah Kitatta has today been charged and remanded to Kigo prison.
Kitatta who has been in the custody of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) for the past nine days, has been arraigned with 12 others at the Military’s Unit Disciplinary Court (UDC) at Mbuya barracks.
The court was chaired by Col. Kayemba and they were charged with five offences of which four are criminal offences of failing to protect war material, contrary to section 122 (1) and (2)(h) and (i) of the UPDF act , 2005. The other charge was unlawful possession of military stores contrary to section 161 of the UPDF act.
According to UPDF Deputy Spokesperson Lt Col Deo Akiiki, the four criminal offences attract a maximum sentence of death while one attracts life imprisonment respectively.
“These sentences are of capital nature and are not triable by a UDC. However, the criminal procedure requires that court without jurisdiction can read the charges preferred and remand the accused, and that he or she is not allowed to enter any plea thus remanding the accused persons to Kigo Prison,” He noted
Lt Col Akiiki has further enlightened on why the civilians has been charged in an army court.
“Any person found in unlawful possession of arms, ammunitions or equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the Defence Forces, becomes subject to military law. It is on this basis that the mentioned persons have appeared in a military court,”
Kitatta and other charged persons will appear in court on 9 February, 2018 for further mention of charges leveled against them.
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