The General Court Martial has today dropped all the charges against former Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura which among others included failing to protect war materials and abetting illegal repatriation of Rwandan exiles, refugees and Uganda citizens to Rwanda between 2012 and 2016.
The Court Martial Chairman Brig Gen Freeman Mugabe while dropping the charges told Kayihura that he was “now a free man.”
Addressing the press outside the courthouse, the 67-year-old retired General said he was lost for words and thanked President Museveni and the UPDF leadership for facilitating his acquittal of all the charges he was facing before the General Court Martial
“Just know that I am extremely happy and above all, I want to thank God who has sustained me and who by his grace, has made this possible,” he said.
“I am very pleased that the court martial found me innocent, and I want to thank our leader President Yoweri Museveni and the rest of the army leadership for releasing me,” he said.
President Museveni ordered the acquittal of Kayihura of all charges in July this year.
The UPDF through its Deputy Spokesman Deo Akiiki announced that the decision followed a meeting between the President and Kayihura.
“We wish the general the best of his retirement time and we shall always consult him as one of the mentors of most of us remaining behind in active service,” Akiiki said.
Kayihura was sacked from the position of IGP on March 4, 2018, having served in the Police force for 12 years.
In June of the same year, he was arrested and detained at military police headquarters at Makindye for 76 days without trial, before being arraigned in the court martial where he was charged.
The development comes as the former IGP is set to be retired from active service in the Army tomorrow, Thursday August 31, 2023.
Others set to retire include Lt. Gen. James Nakibus Lakara, Maj. Gen. Samuel Wasswa Mutesasira, Maj. Gen. James Arocha and Maj. Gen. David K. Wakaalo among others.