Boda Boda 2010 boss Kitata appears in military court

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT |  The Military Court (Unit Disciplinary Committee UDC), sitting at the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) headquarters in Mbuya, has produced Boda Boda 2010 patron Abdalla Kitata and 12 others for mention of charges labelled against them.

The army’s deputy spokesperson Lt Col Deo Akiiki on Monday confirmed that five charges were preferred against the accused persons of which four are criminal offences of failure to protect war material, contrary to Section 122(1) and (2) and (i) of the UPDD ACT, 2005.

The other charge was unlawful possession of military stores contrary to Sec 161 of the UPDF act.

The four criminal offences attract a maximum sentence of death while one attracts life imprisonment respectively.

Akiiki said the sentences are therefore of capital nature and are not triable by the UDC. The suspects have been remanded at Kigo.

He said that criminal procedure however requires that a court without jurisdiction can only read the charges preferred and remand the accused, and that he or she is now allowed to enter any pleas.

He further defended the military court action, saying “section 119 of the UPDF Act provides that every person found in unlawful possession of arms, ammunitions or equipment ordinarily being the monoploy of the Defence Forces, becomes subject to military law.”

The accused are Kitata, Sowali Ngobi, Amon Twinomujuni, Joel Kibirige, Matia Ssenfuka, Hassan Ssebata, Johnson Kayondo, Hassan Ssengoba, Sunday Ssemogerere, John Ssebandeke, Hussein Mugema, Fred Bwanika and Ibrahim Sekajja.

The will appear on February 9 for further mention of the charges against them.

Kitata is also the chairman of ruling party NRM Lubaga division, Kampala and had turned the Boda Boda 2010 into a militia that involved themselves in politics and worked with the Uganda police, according to them, to resolve crime in the city.

Reports indicate that the raids followed CMI’s arrest earlier of of a member of  Kitata’s Boda Boda 2010 group, in connection with the murder of Case Hospital accountant Francis Ekalungar. Ekulangar was found dead, burned beyond recognition a fortnight back.