It is 15 years in jail for UPDF Mbuya barracks attackers

The General Court Martial at Makindye has sentenced two UPDF soldiers to 15 years in jail each for conniving to attack Mbuya military barracks on March 4th 2013.

This, a day after the seven member court chaired by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti on Tuesday found them guilty of offenses relating to breach of security.

According to the court’s ruling read by Lt Gen  Gutti, it was a unanimous view of all the seven-member panel that prosecution had laid down sufficient evidence against Lt. Augustine Moro and Private Kenneth Kalokwera, for having formed  a common intention to attack the barracks.

Prosecution led by Maj Rapheal Mugisha proved to the court, they ruled, that the duo were arrested from the crime scene with guns.

While sentencing the soldiers,  Lt Gen Gutti has considered the five years they have spent on remand and the fact that the convicts still have a chance to change their  behaviour. He declined to hand down the maximum sentence of death for the offenses relating to security  as per the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Act.

He however said the 15 years  in prison for  each convict should serve as a deterrent sentence since such offenses are rampant these days, with the court being in possession of more than other four case files to try.

He also advised the convicts to  exercise their right of appeal within 14 days if they are dissatisfied with the  court’s decision.