UPDF General court-martial
The high court has thrown out a petition by 49 National Unity Platform-NUP party supporters to block their trial in the UPDF General court-martial for illegal possession of ammunition.
Lady Justice Esta Nambayo dismissed the application on grounds that it lacks merit.
She sides with the court-martial saying the process leading to the arrest of the applicants and their subsequent prosecution was lawful.
Key among the applicants are music artist Ali Bukeni alias Nubian and Edward Ssebufu alias Eddie Mutwe.
The applicants including Ali Bukeni alias Nubian and Edward Ssebufu alias Eddie Mutwe were arrested on December 29th, 2020 on their way to Kalangala District for Kyagulanyi’s campaigns.
UPDF General court-martial
They were first arraigned before Masaka magistrate’s court on January 4th, 2021 on charges of inciting violence and doing an act likely to spread diseases.
They were granted bail but were re-arrested by security shortly after and returned to prison.
On January 7th, 2021, they were transferred to Makindye military barracks where they appeared the next day in the court-martial for illegal possession of four bullets before being remanded to Kitalya prison.
As a result, the suspect’s lawyer petitioned the high court to order the unconditional release of the accused person on grounds that they had spent more than the mandatory 48 hours in detention.
They also argued the whole procedure surrounding the arrest and prosecution of their clients was marred with several human rights violations.
They cited their detention at Kasajagirwa barracks in Masaka, which isn’t a gazetted detention center, the transfer of the suspects to the Court Martial, being denied access to their lawyers, next of kins and medical doctors among others.
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