Kitatta was not a patron of Boda boda 2010 - Witness contradicts self

A witness on Monday contradicted himself as he tried to defend Abdalla Kitatta’s role in Boda Boda 2010 during the hearing of the case before the General Court Martial in Makindye.

Kitatta last month told court that he has never been a member of Boda Boda 2010 asking that the group’s chairman for Rubaga, Joel Kibirige can attest to it as his main witness.

On Monday, Kibirige told court that he is not the chairman for Boda Boda 2010 in Rubaga division as claimed by Kitatta but rather chairman for boda boda riders in the division and a director in Boda Boda 2010.

“I am not a chairman for Boda Boda 2010 in Rubaga, I am only a director. If anyone comes here to say I am the chairman for Boda Boda 2010 in Rubaga, they are telling lies,”Kibirige told court on Monday.

This contradicted with earlier statements by Kitatta who told court that Kibirige knew everything about the notorious group as their chairman for Rubaga and that the latter would testify to prove that he(Kitatta) was not a member of Boda Boda 2010.

Kibirige continued to contract with Kitatta’s earlier evidence when he said the latter was not a patron for Boda Boda 2010.

“We don’t have a patron for Boda Boda 2010 but Kitatta is a patron for Boda bodas,”Kibirige said.

Kibirige said Boda Boda 2010 had directors, himself inclusive adding that the group’s chairperson was Deus Kananura who sits in Kawempe.

The army prosecutors led by Lt.Col.Raphael Mugisha asked Kibirige to tell court who he reported to as a director for Boda Boda 2010 and he said he reported to Kananura in Kawempe.

However, Kibirige was tricked when he was asked why he called Kitatta to report the arrest of  boda boda riders  by the army last year.

“You had a chairman for Boda Boda 2010 that you said you report to but why did you call Kitatta. Didn’t you find it necessary to call the group’s chairman,”Lt.Col.Mugisha asked Kibirige.

However in response, Kibirige said it was not a matter of Boda Boda 2010 but rather boda boda riders.

“The matter was touching boda boda riders in Rubaga and not Boda Boda 2010,”Kibirige said.

The prosecutors wondered how Kibirige could differentiate between a matter concerning boda boda riders and one for Boda Boda 2010 association.

When asked to comment on who between Kitatta and himself is a liar, Kibirige said both of them are right.

'Offices raided by army not for Boda boda 2010'

Kitatta’s main witness also told court that the offices raided by the army last year leading to arrest of Boda Boda 2010 members and seizure of military uniforms and caps was not theirs.

Kibirige said the offices along Wakaliga road raided by Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence operatives were unknown to him.

“Our only office as Boda Boda 2010 is in Kawempe Mulimira zone. As chairman for Rubaga boda bodas, my office is in Kivumbi zone in Nateete. The offices that the military raided are not ours and I don’t know them,”Kibirige said.

He also told court that he does know where the military uniforms paraded by the army as exhibits in the case are not known to him because they were not got from his office.

“If they had anything they wanted, they should have asked me to lead them to my office.”

The army court chairman, Lt.Gen.Andrew Gutti adjourned the case to February 26 for further hearing.

Boda Boda 2010 patron Abdalla Kitatta is accused together with nine others including Ngobi Sowali,Ibrahim Ssekagya, Joel Kibirige, John Ssebandeke, Fred Bwanika,Hassan Ssematta,Amon Twinomujuni, Hussein Mugema of offences related to unlawful possession of military hardware and unlawful possession of a gun, pistol and ammunition.

They are accused of unlawful possession of 30 and 20 rounds of ammunition for SMG rifles and pistol respectively which are government stores contrary to section 161 of the UPDF Act.

The army also accuses the group of unlawful possession of military equipment including headgear and uniforms which are a monopoly of the defence forces.