Court Martial sentences soldier to 30 years for murder

Lamwo, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) 5th Division Infantry Court Martial has sentenced one of their own to a thirty years jail term, for killing a civilian in Madi Opei town council, Lamwo district early this year.

Private Ronald Odera who was attached to the UPDF Lamwo Banabana Battalion was convicted by a military court-martial session held before the public in Madi Opei town council.

The court-martial presided over by Col. Gabriel Wamala heard that on the 14th of February 2022, the accused UPDF soldier shot a civilian identified as Emmanuel Kica, a resident of Arogo village, Kal parish in Madi Opei town council.

Court heard that the deceased was arrested by a joint security force consisting of the police and the army after he was accused of having assaulted a UPDF soldier during a scuffle at a night disco on Valentine’s day. It’s reported that while being transferred to the police outpost in Madi Opei town council, the deceased attempted to escape from custody and as he fled, Private Odera shot him in the stomach.

The deceased was rushed to Kitgum General Hospital where he succumbed to the bullet wound on 15th February 2022.

Appearing before the court-martial, the accused remorsefully pleaded guilty and asked for a lenient sentence on grounds that he didn’t act intentionally and that he was having medical complications.

However, his pleas were not entertained and court acting on the evidence produced by the prosecution, sentenced Private Odera to 30 years in jail.

Col Wamala said although Private Odera didn’t waste the court’s time, the convicted soldier would serve the specified jail term as a deterrent to other men and women in uniform from shooting civilians.

The UPDF 5th Division infantry spokesperson Capt. Amos Nsamba says the accused will soon be handed over to any government prison where he will serve his jail term.

Capt. Nsamba says the UPDF infantry had to conduct the court-martial session within the area where the accused committed the crime as a move of maintaining the confidence of the civilian population in the army.

Nsambu says they deeply regret the incident and as an institution, the UPDF will never condone tendencies of indiscipline of its soldiers or inhuman treatment of the civilian population they are supposed to protect and serve.

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