By Elite Reporter
The Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) Gen. Court Martial on Tuesday released four Rwandan agents who were serving in the Uganda Police under former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen. Kale Kayihura.
The suspects who were released on bail are battling charges of aiding illegal repatriation of Rwandan nationals together with former police boss, Gen. Kale Kayihura, who is also currently on bail.
The released are SSP Richard Ndaboine, 37, the former deputy commandant Special Operations Unit, ASP Patrick Muramira, 42 (ex-commandant Special Operations Unit), AIP Jonas Ayebaze, 29, and police constable Abel Muyomba Kitagenda, 34.
Kayihura appeared before the GCM registrar on Monday. He reports to the court every first Monday of the month, as one of his bail terms.
Upon appearing in court on Tuesday, the accused through their lawyer Elizabeth Nyansigwa, told the court that her clients had fixed places of abode, had substantial sureties and would not interfere with prosecution investigations once given bail.
“My Lord, this court has the discretion to grant bail, the accused are all family men with young children. They are ready to fulfil all the reasonable bail terms,” Nyansigwa said.
On mitigation, state prosecutors Maj. Raphael Mugisha and Cpt. Ambrose Baguma told court to reject the defence request, saying they are senior police officers who may jeopardise pending prosecution investigations.
Delivering his ruling into the matter, the GCM Chairman, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti granted the four accused non-cash bail of sh10m and bonded each of their sureties Shs20m, non-cash.
“This court grants bail to each of the applicants having satisfactorily proved that their places of abode are permanent and have presented substantial sureties,” Gutti ruled.
However, the court ordered the accused to not go beyond Kampala and Wakiso, and report to the GMC registrar everything after 14 days on Wednesday.
Prior, still on remand on the same charges is SSP Nixon Agasirwe 47, the former police’s Standards Unit commandant, Benon Atwebembeire, Abel Tumukunde and Faisal Katende.
According to the prosecution, the accused unlawfully kidnapped Jackson Kalemera alias Ndinga and Lieutenant Joel Mutabazi and delivered them to Rwanda without their consent.
It is also asserted that on October 25, 2013, at Kamengo in Mpigi district along the Kampala-Masaka Road, while in unlawful possession of firearms and grenades, ordinarily a monopoly of Uganda’s People Defence Forces, the accused persons conveyed Kalemera and Mutabazi to Rwanda.
However, political pundits contend that the group was part of a larger unit of Rwandan agents who had infiltrated the Uganda police and were working under Gen. Kayihura but directly reporting to Kigali.
They are said to have been freed following the third Tripartite meeting held in Luanda, Angola, during which Presidents Yoweri Museveni and Paul Kagame agreed to free prisoners in either country, as a precursor to restoring peace between the two nations.
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