Army court remands SFC soldiers, Police officers for revealing secrets regarding security
The General Court Martial has remanded 12 people including five police officers, three Special Forces Command soldiers and civilians over offences related to revealing security information related to Uganda’s security.
The accused included IP Peter Ayebare attached to the Cyber Crime unit at the Police headquarters in Naguru, Detective Constable Tadeo Judas Opendo, attached to the Special Investigations Division in Kireka, Martin Kimbowa, attached to the police witness protection unit, Swadafi Marutre, attached to police headquarters and Felix Oyugi, a Counter-Terrorism police officer attached to Entebbe Airport.
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Others were Corporal Abdalla Ajobe an SFC officer attached to Nakasero state lodge, Private Paul Okweny, an engineer in SFC , Private Henry Obong(SFC), Wilson Atekateka(resident of Lukuli in Makindye), Moses Kasiba(army informer),Difas Nyindo, a mechanic and Silver Olinga Elwelu , a cleaner.
They were charged with offences related to security contrary to section 130(1) of the UPDF Act 2005.
Prosecution alleges that the accused between the months of March and September 2018 in the areas of Kampala and Wakiso held meetings to recruit civilians and soldiers into subversive activities of overthrowing government.
They were accused of trying to overthrow government by putting security at risk.
The group was remanded to Makindye military police barracks until August 19 when they will appear for the mention of their cases.
According to section 130(1) of the UPDF Act 2005, a person subject to military law commits an offence by;
(a) Disclosing by word of mouth or by document, confidential information to the enemy or to unauthorized members of the defence forces or the public.
(b) Talking about or discusses any confidential information in unauthorized places or with authorized persons within hearing distance of unauthorized persons.
(c ) Giving a parole, watchword, password, countersign or identification signal different from that which he or she received or without authority, alters or interferes with any identification or other signal; commits an offence and is, on conviction, liable to imprisonment not exceeding five years.
About the suspects
The 12 are part of the group of police and army officers who were close to the former Inspector General of Police, Gen.Kale Kayihura who arrested last year.
The army in June 2018 arrested Gen. Kayihura from his country home in Kashagama, Lyantonde district before being airlifted to Kampala for what was then termed as ‘questioning’ over some issues.
In the following days, a military operation would lead to the arrest of a number of senior police and army officers believed to be close allies to the former police chief.
Among those arrested included the former cyber-crime head Richard Ndaboine, former crime intelligence director Col Ndahura Atwooki, the former Flying Squad commander Herbert Muhangi, former Professional Standards Unit Commander Good Mwesigwa and Lt Col Peter Musherure, the former deputy police director of crime intelligence among others.
Most of these have since been arraigned in court over offences related to kidnap and repatriation of Rwandan refugees and giving guns to unauthorized groups of people.
