Kitatta Sentenced to 8 Years in Jail
By Fred Kiva
The Army General Court Martial sitting in Makindye has sentenced Boda Boda 2010 leader, Abdallah Kitatta and his bodyguard Sowali Ngobi to eight years in jail. The two were on Monday convicted for unlawful possession of firearms.
The court chaired by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti on Monday found Kitatta and his co-accused Sowali Ngobi guilty of the offense of unlawful possession of firearms contrary to section 3 of the Firearms Act. The court, however, absolved the duo on the count of illegal possession of military stores, as the prosecution did not adduce enough evidence to pin them.
According to prosecution, on the offense of unlawful possession of firearms, Kitatta and Ngobi were found with two pistols during their arrest in January last year. In his ruling on Tuesday, Lt Gen Gutti said court found the ten-year sentence asked by prosecution lawyer Lt Col. Raphael Mugisha appropriate, but had to consider the period the accused spent on remand.
The duo was jailed in January last year, which is about one year and four months now, thus they were sentenced to 8 years, 8 months and 6 days in jail. At the time of filing the story, it was not yet clear if Kitatta intended to appeal the sentence, though the court chairman had granted his right to appeal.
On Monday the court acquitted the other Kitatta’s co-accused of all the charges and set them free. Those acquitted include; Joel Kibirige, Matia Ssenfuka, Hassan Ssebata, Johnson Kayondo, Hassan Ssengoba, Sunday Ssemogerere, John Ssebandeke, Hussein Mugema, Fred Bwanika, and Ibrahim Ssekaja.
Kitatta and his co-accused have been facing a number of charges among others unlawful possession of firearms and illegal possession of military stores, following their arrest by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) over a year ago.
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