James Mubiru: Army court remands NUP councilor over illegal possession of military attire
The General Court Martial in Makindye has remanded Rubaga North Councillor, Apollo Mubiru after being charged with unlawful possession of military attire.
Mubiru, 30, a National Unity Platform leaning councilor was on Monday arraigned before the army court chaired by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti and charges related to donning a red beret were read for him.
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“On November, 18,2020 at Nakulabye, you were found putting on a red beret which is a monopoly of the armed forces and act which is contrary to section 164(i) of the UPDF Act 2005,” Gutti said as he read the charges.
Mubiru denied the charges but the army prosecutors told court that investigations into the offence are still ongoing and asked for more time to complete the same.
The army court chairman, Lt Gen Andrew Gutti then remanded Mubiru to Makindye military barracks until April,23, 2021.
However, before being remanded, Gutti questioned Mubiru’s detention in a military barracks yet he is not a soldier but the army prosecutor, Capt Ambrose Guma told the court being a lawyer, sending the accused to Kitalya government prison would be putting his life in danger.
In response, the army court chairman reasoned with the prosecutors that the National Unity Platform council be remanded to Makindye military barracks to ensure he is safe.
The latest development of the army court chairman questioning the detention of civilians at the Makindye military barracks seems to shield the court from public scrutiny as it has been before.
In the past, several people, especially opposition politicians have accused the army of witch-hunt which has seen their supporters arrested and arraigned before the army court and later detained in the military barracks.
The arraignment before court and subsequent remanding of Mubiru is a sigh of relief to his relatives and family members following news that circulated over the weekend that the National Unity Platform councilor for Rubaga North who has been missing for several days had died at Nakasero hospital from torture wounds.
