Kitatta weeps as army exhibits gun found with him as he hid in toilet during arrest

Boda boda 2010 patron Abdalla Kitatta on Monday wept before the General Court Martial in Makindye as a Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) operative paraded a number of guns recovered during his arrest.

Kitatta together with 12 other members of Boda boda 2010 are accused of unlawful possession of army stores including two pistols, an SMG rifle and a number of live ammunitions.

On Monday, private Richard Kasaija,24, attached to CMI narrated how their operations commanded by Capt.David Agaba, the director in charge of operations and counter terrorism in CMI that started on January 19 with the arrest of Huzairu Kiwalabye  over involvement in the murder of Case clinic accountant led them to the arrest of Kitatta, a brother to the former.

“On January 20, we were briefed that one of the people (Kiwalabye) we had arrested was communicating with someone before and during our operation. We then headed to King Fahad building where we trailed him up to Wakaliga,”Kasaija told court.

 

He said on reaching Vine Tea hotel in Wakaliga, they cordoned off the entire place before asking the manager to avail them with the register of people who were at the hotel at the time.

According to the witness, Capt.Agaba was able to locate the room in which Kitatta was and proceeded inside but on knocking, no one opened.

“The manager said he had another copy of keys that we could use to open the door but on entering, we found the room empty.”

Kitatta hides in toilet

The witness narrated that the operatives then proceeded to the toilet of the room whose door was too locked and they asked the occupant to open but in vain.

“We told him that we were going to fire bullets in the door and force it open. He (Kitatta) willingly opened the door of the toilet in the hotel room,” the CMI operative told court on Monday.

“We found him with a gold coloured pistol  that had five bullets already  corked  and  one of them(bullets)  was  in chamber.”

The army court also heard that after arresting their boss, the occupants of Kitatta’s vehicle parked behind the hotel  tried to take off but were apprehended by operatives who had been deployed all over the hotel.

On searching the vehicle, a pistol was found hidden in the front passenger seat whereas an SMG rifle was recovered from the driver’s seat.

Weeps

The boda boda 2010 patron was seen weeping as the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence exhibited the pistols, gun, live ammunitions and army uniforms recovered following a raid on one of group’s offices in Wakaliga.

Lt.Gen. Andrew Guti, the court chairman adjourned the case to June 12 for cross examination.

Prosecution case

Kitatta was charged together with Matia Ssenfuka, Joel Kibirige, Hassan Ssemata, Jonathan Kayondo, Ssengooba Hassan, Sande Ssemwogerere, John Ssebandeke, Hussein Mugema, Fred Bwanika and Amon Twinomujuni with a number of of offences related to unlawful possession of military hardware.

Prosecution alleges that Abdallah Kitatta, Sowali Ngobi and Ibrahim Ssekajja were found in unlawful possession of an SMG rifle and a pistol without a valid firearm licence, contrary to Section 3 and section 2 of the Fire Arms Act on January 21st in Wakaliga,Rubaga division.

The group is also 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.

The offences against the group are criminal in nature and attract a maximum sentences of death and life imprisonment respectively according to the UPDF Act 2005.