Col. Ndahura asks army court to release him on bail so he can get medication for diabetes

Former police director in charge of Crime Intelligence, Col.Ndahura Atwooki has asked the General Court Martial in Makindye to release him on bail to allow him get medication of his illnesses.

Through his lawyers including Evans Ochieng and John Paul Ganyana, Ndahura said he is sickly and can only get proper medication outside Makindye military barracks where he is currently detained.

“I am diabetic and I have high blood pressure that can only be treated outside the military detention. I ask court to release me on bail so I can get treatment which is not available at Makindye military barracks,”Col.Ndahura said in his affidavit.

He added that he has spent 210 days in detention since his arrest on June 11, 2018, noting that he will not disappear or interfere with investigation and witnesses if released on bail because he has a fixed place of abode and substantial sureties.

He presented Brig.Apollo Kasiita Gowa, a former defense attaché to Washington and now the head of the Immigration department at Internal Affairs Ministry, Col.Milton Kataranyeba, Col. Francis Kashaka, Col.Wilson Kabera and Ruhindi County MP, Donozio Kahonda as his sureties.

“I pray that if released on bail, court should not restrict me from moving outside Kampala and Wakiso districts because my mother in Masaka is sick whereas my aunt died and was buried in Masindi in my absence. I need to go visit those places,”Col.Ndahura said.

Lt.Gen.Andrew Gutti, the court chairman adjourned the matter to January 22 to allow the army prosecutors respond to the bail application.

Ndahura faces kidnap charges together with seven other senior and junior police officers including former Inspector General of Police, Gen.Kale Kayihura, Herbert Muhangi, the former Flying Squad Commander, Richard Ndaboine (former head of Police Cyber Crime Unit),Nixon Agasiirwe(former commander, Special Operations Unit),AIP Jonas Ayebaze, ASP Patrick Muramira(former deputy commander police Special Operations Unit) and Detective constable Abel Kitagenda.

It is alleged that between the year 2012 and 2016, by omission and commission, the group aided and abetted the actions of subordinate police officers and others on various occasions without hindrance to kidnap and illegally repatriated Rwandan exiles, refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda including Lt.Joel Mutabazi, Jackson Karemera and Sgt. Innocent Karisa.

They are also charged with failure to protect war materials contrary to section 122(1) (2) (d) of the UPDF Act 2005.

The state alleges  that between the year 2010 and 2018 the police officers on various occasions allowed the issue of arms and ammunition to unauthorized persons including members of Boda boda 2010 led by one Abdullah Kitatta.

The group is also accused of failure to supervise and ensure accountability for the arms and ammunition issued to specialized units under the office of the Inspector General of Police including the Flying Squad, Special Operations Unit, witness protection unit and the Crime Intelligence directorate of the police force.

The army last year launched a purge on a number of police officers suspected to be close allies to Kayihura, arresting a number of them before being detained at Makindye.