High court rules, NUP supporters were properly charged in Army court

Kampala High Court  has thrown out an application filed by 49 NUP affiliates who had sought to challenge their trial before the General court martial at Makindye because they are civilians.

Justice Esta Nambayo ruled that Ali Bukeni alias Nubian Li,  Eddie Ssebuufu alias Eddie Mutwe and others are properly charged before the Army court with offences of unlawful possession of ammunitions.

This is after the judge based her finding on section 119 of the UPDF Act that creates offences for civilians before the General court martial.

In her ruling, the judge also rejected the applicants complaints of torture, denial of access to lawyers, doctors and relatives , detention in ungazatted places and subject to unfair trial before the General court martial saying there is no evidence tabled before her to support the allegations.

She has now dismissed the application for lack of merit and advised the applicants who are currently on remand at Kitalya government  prison  to instead wait for the General court martial  to determine whether they committed the offence or not .

These 49 NUP supporters were arrested from Kalangala as their principle and former presidential Aspirant Robert  Kyagulangyi Ssentamu held his campaigns in the district.

13 of them were however granted bail whereas the 37 are still on an indefinite remand in prison because the General court martial refused to release them saying they will continue to perpetrate acts of violence on security agencies.

The 37 men have also had their bail appeal to the Highcourt criminal division declined to be heard .