KAMPALA- The General Court Martial at Makindye has sentenced 16 NUP supporters to serve 3 months and 22 days in prison for attempting to overthrow the government of Uganda.
The 16 are; Olivia Lutaaya, Kakooza Muhydin Rashid Ssegujja, David Mafabi, Robert Christopher Rugumayo and Abdul Matovu.
Others are ; Mesearch Kiwanuka ,Simon Kijambu, Ibrahim Wandera, Stanley Lwanga, Steven Musaakaru, Ronald Kijjambu, Asubat Nagwere, Livingstone Katushabe, Matovu Sharif and Swaibu Katabi.
This is after the group which has spent almost 4 years in prison expressed interest in pleading guilty to charges of treachery and being in unlawful possession of explosives last week on grounds that they had been misled into committing the said offences.
Before announcing the final sentences, the Court’s chairman Brig. Gen Freeman Mugabe said even though Treachery carries a maximum sentence of death and unlawful possession of ammunitions attracts an imprisonment term of not more than ten years, the General Court Martial sat and established that a jail term of 5 years is appropriate for the convicts.
However Brig. Mugabe said the court has considered the 3 years and 8 months the convicts have spent on remand and the 16 months they have spent while attending trial to come to a conclusion that they should only serve 3 months in prison and a caution.
The court further considered that the convicts are not only first time offenders who changed to a plea of guilty after hearing evidence from 9 witnesses but they are also the sole bread winners of their young families.
However the convicts have not been happy with the reduced sentence and announced that they are to appeal against it as they also seek presidential pardon.
The remaining 12 suspects who still deny the charges have been ordered to return before court on 27th / November 2024 to hear evidence from the 10th prosecution witness.
Its alleged that now the 12 suspects between November 2020 and May 12, 2021 in various places in Jinja, Mbale, Kireka, Nakulabye, Kawempe, Nateete and Kampala Central , they were arrested with 13 Improvised explosive devices which are a monopoly of only the UPDF.
That during the same period with an intention of overthrowing the Government of Uganda, they recruited and offered Military training to other people.
