The General Court Martial in Makindye has adjourned the hearing of 24 suspects charged with breach of security and treachery, among them Nakawa Member of Parliament Michael Kabaziguruka, who missed today’s session due to illness.
A prisons officer told the GCM chaired by Chairman Lt Gen Andrew Guti that MP Kabaziguruka failed to turn up for trial because he was undergoing treatment at Kigo prisons where the suspects have been on remand since their arrests.
The GCM avers that the accused, among them members of the police and army, reportedly committed the offences between February and June in the districts of Kampala, Wakiso and Luweero.
Reading Count One, the GCM chairman said: ‘the accused between February and June did plot with intent to overthrow the government of Uganda by force of arms an act that is contrary to the Constitution of Uganda and the security forces both army and the police’.
According to Gen Guti, a new suspect Private Felix Aluge was added to the list of those under trial, bringing the number of those arrested so far to 24. Other suspects are still at large, he added.
The accused are represented by Eugene Kabagambe and Major Ronald Iduuli, a lawyer provided by the state, as required by law.
Reacting to Count One all the suspects denied complicity, with a one Assistant Inspector of Police (AIP) Obulejju, attached to the Anti-terrorism Unit saying justice will not prevail since the court panel ‘follows orders from above’.
He said that none of his relatives and friends know that he was arrested, adding that that was an infringement on his human rights.
AIP Obulejju was however stopped in his tracks by the GCM chairman, who told him he had no right to address court.
But this was not before defence lawyer Major Iduuli came to the defence of his client, arguing that Accused Number 10, AIP Obulejju, was challenging the GCM powers over jurisdiction because he was a police officer, not subjected to military trial, in the process becoming the second suspect after MP Kabaziguruka to protest trial by the GCM.
On the second count the GCM Chairman said between February and June of 2016, the accused plotted to overthrow the government by force of arms, a charge all the suspects also denied.
After the trial, the military suspects were remanded to Makindye while the civilians were taken to Kigo prisons.
