The General Court Martial has traveled to Somalia to try two UPDF commanders blamed for asking soldiers to run away during an attack by Al Shaabab terrorist group on a Ugandan army forward operating base .
The army court chaired by Brig Freeman Mugabe travelled to Somalia this week where they have pitch camped at the sector one contingent headquarters to try cases involved UPDF soldiers.
According to the Ugandan army, top on the cause list is the case involving two senior officers of the rank of major who are charged with cowardice in action contrary to section 120 (1) (2) (a) of the UPDF Act of 2005, and offences by persons in command in violation of section 128 (1) (b) of the UPDF Act of 2005.
Prosecution states that Maj Steven Oluka 47 years and Maj Zadock Obor on or around the May 25 to 27, 2023, while deployed as officers commanding companies in Bulomarer and Golweyne, did not encourage officers and militants under their command to fight courageously upon coming into contact with Al Shabaab.
In the attack the UPDF operating base in Buulo Mareer, approximately 120km southwest of Mogadishu in Lower Shabelle region was overrun by Al Shababa and over 50 soldiers killed.
Other cases that the General Court Martial is trying include failure to protect war materials contrary to section 122 (1) (2) (h) of the UPDF Act which involves four Non – Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs).
When asked why the army court relocated to Mogadishu, Gen Mugabe said, they decided to sit at Basecamp-Mogadishu to access witnesses in the cases since most of them were in the mission area.
“Secondly, the General Court Martial has jurisdiction to try cases anywhere in and outside Uganda where UPDF is operating,” said Brig Gen Mugabe.
He added that according to the UPDF Act of 2005, the GCM has jurisdiction to try cases which are capital in nature.
He explained that the Memorandum of Understanding and the Status of Forces Agreement with the Host nation Somalia provides that each Troop Contributing Country has to try her own personnel while in the mission area.
As such, crimes committed by UPDF personnel are tried by UPDF General Court Martial.
The GCM will be in Somalia for two weeks hearing cases and at the end of the sessions, those who will be found guilty will be given appropriate sentences and those found not guilty will be acquitted.
However, judgements will depend on the circumstances under which the offences were committed and pieces of evidence that will be brought to court.
