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National Unity Platform supporters who last week pleaded guilty on the charges of attempting to overthrow government and being in possession of military wares including 13 bomb materials have been sentenced.
The 16 have been on remand for four years and have had their several bail applications denied on issues that the sureties were not substantial. Even when Members of parliament including leader of opposition came as sureties, the General Court Martial still denied the accused bail.
These started their trial journey with former General Court Martial Andrew Guti who retired and replaced with Brig Gen Robert Freeman Mugabe. Prosecution continued saying investigations are still ongoing but NUP claims government didn’t have enough implicating evidence to pin the incarcerated supporters and its the reason why they had to arrange through Balaam to force them into accepting the charges even without evidence.
“God willing, there will be time to account for all this abuse. You imprison people for four years without trial, corner them into pleading guilty, and then come out rejoicing that they have accepted the charges! Balaam and ilk, you may be devoid of any conscience, but mocking victims of your abuse isn’t it”-NUP SG Rubongoya posted on X formerly Twitter.
However, in a well coordinated arrangement by Youth and Children affairs Minister Balaam Barugahara, these accepted the charges which they had initially denied, they then fired their NUP lawyers and would later be seen with a military lawyer.
“Am happy that Olivia Lutaaya and others have finally pleaded guilty to the charges, I will now persuade the court & President to pardon them” -said Balaam who personally attended for the first time court last week.
Now the General Court Martial presided over by Brig Gen Freeman Robert Mugabe has sentenced the 16 who accepted the charges to five years in prison. However court considered some mitigating factors and these will only serve 3 months and 22 days.
The General Court Martial at Makindye in Kampala has sentenced 16 National Unity Platform (@NUP_Ug) supporters convicted of attempting to overthrow the Government of Uganda, and possessing 13 pieces of bombs to five years in prison, however, after mitigating factors, the convicts… pic.twitter.com/qyupwCheib
— The New Vision (@newvisionwire) October 23, 2024
However, the 9 supporters who stuck to their guns and refused to plead guilty will continue being in prison with no end in sight for them and might also give in to have their predicament decided by the General Court Martial.
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