Kyagulanyi during the Press conference
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KAMPALA- The National Unity Platform President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine that the three NUP supporters who appeared before the court martial and confessed to participating in activities aimed at overthrowing the government did so under duress.

The three accused persons, including Paul Muwanguzi, Siraj Obalai and Joseph Muganza, on Monday, appeared before the General Court Martial presided by Brig. Gen Robert Freeman Mugabe, and pleaded guilty to the charges of treachery and unlawful possession of ammunition.

 These are part of 32 NUP supporters who were in April 4, 2024, were slapped with charges of treachery by the UPDF Director of prosecutions. Initially, they were battling charges of unlawful ammunition.

The Defence lawyer Elizabeth Nyansingwa told the Makindye-based court that the accused wished to change their pleas from not guilty to guilty. But while addressing Journalists at Makerere Kavule, Kyagulanyi these were coerced by the military.

He alleged that the 32 NUP supporters were presented with conditions to secure their release: they had to plead guilty, incriminate NUP leaders, and switch allegiance. Some have reportedly succumbed to this pressure, compromising their stance.

“During our visits to Kitalya Prison, we’re not allowed to speak with the detainees individually; only one person is permitted to represent the group. However, on our most recent visit, we discovered that soldiers have been attempting to persuade them to alter their stance, presenting them with an ultimatum: plead guilty or face prolonged incarceration,” Kyagulanyi stated.

  Kyagulanyi claims that the military court intends to utilize this case as a means to intimidate and subjugate those who remain unbroken, with the ultimate goal of shielding the Uganda UPDF from future legal suits for their alleged human rights abuses against innocent civilians.

//Cue: “whenever, we visit…

But Brigadier General Felix Kulaigye, the spokesperson for the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), has refuted allegations that detainees are being coerced in prison, stating that such actions are not possible.

 He maintained that the three detainees in question made their decisions voluntarily, without any external pressure or coercion.  “What would they say? These are baseless allegations, but for us we respect court orders. But secondly this should be an eye open to the public, who has been saying that we falsely accused these people. Kulaigye has said.