The General Court Martial ill deliver its ruling on Monday next week whether Abdullah Kitatta, the jailed patron of Boda boda 2010 and his co-accused have a case to answer.
The group is battling charges of unlawful possession of firearms. The other suspects are Matia Ssenfuka, Joel Kibirige, Hassan Ssemata, Jonathan Kayondo, Ssengooba Hassan, Sande Ssemwogerere, John Ssebandeke, Hussein Mugema, Fred Bwanika, Amon Twinomujuni and Sowali Ngobi.
The suspects were picked up between January, 19th and 21st 2018 from various places in Rubaga Division and were arraigned in the army general court martial for unlawful possession of weapons and military stores. The exhibits that were purportedly recovered from the offices of Boda boda 2010 in Natete include military head gears, UPDF uniforms, 55 live ammunition, two pistols and an SMG rifle.
Kitatta’s lawyers led by Shaban Sanywa concluded their submissions on Tuesday prompting the court chairperson, Lt General Andrew Gutti to set a date to deliver his ruling on whether or not the suspects have a case to answer. In his submission, Sanywa asked court to acquit his clients on grounds that there is no evidence incriminating them for alleged possession of firearms.
He also told court that the evidence presented by the prosecution is insufficient to secure a conviction against the accused persons since there was no crucial testimony from the investigating officer, who could have done ballistic tests to ascertain whether the suspects touched the military hardware that were paraded in Court during trial.
On Monday, prosecution led by Maj. Raphael Mugisha asked court to find Kitatta and his group culpable on the charges of unlawful possession of firearms and military stores basing on the four witnesses they produced in court.
Prosecution presented four UPDF soldiers who participated in the arrest of the suspects. They included Private Richard Kasaija, Corporal Richard Wanyama, a CMI detective attached to the Directorate of Counter Terrorism, Major David Agaba, the former Operations Commander at CMI and Corporal, Alex Baguma who drove the vehicle used to pick up the suspects.
The suspects have a chance to walk home should the court martial find them without any case to answer.
