Boda boda 2010 patron Abdalla Kitatta has on Monday afternoon been charged with a number of offences related to unlawful possession of military hardware.
Kitatta was a few weeks ago arrested by the army in a joint operation with JATT together with a number of boda boda 2010 members in various parts of the city.
According to a statement by the deputy army spokesperson Lt.Col Deo Akiiki, the Unit Disciplinary Committee (UDC) which is a military court sitting at the Chieftaincy of Military Investigations headquarters at Mbuya slapped five charges against the group, four of which were criminal in nature.
“They were charged with offences of failure to protect war material contrary to section 133 (1) and (2) of the UPDF Act 2005,”Lt.Col.Akiiki said.
He added that the 13 people were also charged with unlawful possession of military stores contrary to section 161 of the UPDF Act.
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“The four criminal offences attract a maximum sentence of death while one attracts life imprisonment. ”
The deputy army spokesperson explained that since the offences are capital in nature, the Unit Disciplinary Committee has no jurisdiction to try them and can only read them the charges.
The group was remanded to Kigo prison but didn’t take plea for the charges against them.
Plea taking is when the accused denies or accepts the charges labeled against them.
On charging Kitatta and the boda boda 2010 members before the army court yet they are not soldiers, Lt.Col.Akiiki quoted section 119 of the UPDF Act which explains the kinds of people who are subject to military law.
“It further provides that every person found in unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment ordinarily being monopoly of the defence forces becomes subject to military law.”
He said that the group will reappear before the military court on February 9th.
