More charges slapped on 32 NUP supporters

The Makindye General Court Martial yesterday levied fresh charges of treason on the 32 National Unity Platform party supporters who have been grappling with charges of possession of Military stores.

The fresh charges were brought by the state prosecution side led by Lt. Gift Muhabamwe who arraigned witnesses to testify during the Tuesday proceedings.

The trial was presided by the GCM chairperson Brig. Gen. Robert Freeman Mugabe who preferred a closed circuit devoid of media presence. The GCM panel contends that media presence would put the lives of witnesses at stake and therefore a closed circuit trial is a better means of concealing their identities.

Lt. Col. Raphael Mugisha presented a new charge sheet that included fresh charges of treason. The charges come at a time when the suspects have been on a lengthy remand of 2 years. In his fresh charges, Lt. Raphael said the group attempted to lead an insurgency by throwing petrol bombs on government and military vehicles.

The counsel of the suspects, Mr. George Musisi protested the charge saying there is nowhere it is included on the charge sheet that the suspects are part of the army, sponsored by an external force or belong to any other rebel force.

“The suspects cannot take plea on the nee charges against them because it is defective and cannot stand on court record for lack of a key ingredient,” Counsel Musisi told court.

The suspects are accused with treachery, an offence, according to section 129 of the UPDF Act, 2005.

The Act says, “One commits the offence if he/she infiltrate the army, is an agent of a foreign power or Force engaging in war or war-like activities against the established government of Uganda. Also, an individual who consciously gives classified information to a Force engaged in war or war-like activities against the government or consciously withholds vital information from the proper authorities, may suffer death on conviction for committing treachery.”
The GCM Chair Brig. Gen. Mugabe adjourned the case to April 17, for prosecution to put its house in order and further remanded the 28 suspects. The same court on Monday freed four suspects on bail and they are Ronald Mayiga, Richard Nyombi, Kenneth Kamya, and Shafic Ngobi.

The suspects are accused with subversion believed to have been coordinated between November 2020 and May 2021 in areas of Nakulabye, Mbale, Jinja, Kireka, Kawempe, Nateete and Kampala Central.