Trial date for Kitatta military court case set

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI |  The Makindye General Court Martial has set April 23, 2018 as trial date for the patron of Boda-Boda2010 and NRM Rubaga chairman Abdalla Kitatta, accused of unlawful possession of firearms, live ammunition, military head gears and uniforms.

Kitatta Monday appeared before the Army Court in Kampala together with 12 other people.

The trial date comes after prosecutor Maj. Raphael Mugisha informed the seven-member court chaired by Lt. Gen Andrew Gutti that Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) has concluded investigations into the matter and is now ready to bring its witnesses.

Kitatta is said to have been found in illegal possession of a submachine gun (SMG), three pistols and fifty rounds of live ammunition which prosecution says are only a monopoly of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).

The rest of the accused persons are said to have connived with Kitatta to unlawfully possess military head gears and uniforms that were allegedly found on them, on the January 18, 2018 in a motor vehicle at Vine Hotel in Wakaliga within Kampala city.

However the Court declined to grant Kitatta’s request to be transferred back to Luzira prison from Makindye military barracks, where he says he doesn’t receive adequate medical care and access to his relatives.

Court chairman Lt. Gen Gutti informed Kitatta that he was transferred to military police barracks on security reasons and the decision cannot be change.

Kitatta, and the 12 who have been sent back to Luzira prison, will return to court on April 23, 2018 for trial.