By Edson Kinene
in
UPDF SOLDIER UNDER TRIAL IN KIHIIHI TOWN WESTERN UGANDA. HE ALLEGEDLY KILLED 8 PEOPLE AT ONCE
Kanungu.
The updf soldier accused to murdering eight people has pleaded not guilty to all charges of murder and attempted murder read for him.
Appearing before the chairperson of the second division court martial col Geoffrey Mujuni sitting in kihiihi town council at kihiihi polytechnic play ground lance corporal Moses Katwesigye kept quiet to all the eight charges of murder and three attempted murder cases read for him.
Cpt Gedion Makanzu the judge advocate told court that silence meant that the accused pleads not guilty to the charges, which prompted the chairperson to call for the trial of the accused to begin.
According to the charge sheets dated 6th June 2016, LCpl Katwesigye was attached to the 307 UPDF Brigade barracks at Mburamizi in Kihihi Town Council is alleged to have shot dead two soldiers; LCpl Saverio Byansi and Pte Sarah Auma who was his wife from the barracks at around 9pm.
He ran out of the barracks, shot dead six other civilians and injured three others at the nearby Kiruruma trading centre out of rage before hehanded himself to police.
The civilians he allegedly murdered are Maria Musiimenta, 38, Medard Byamukama, 38, Oliver Tindiwensi Tugumisirize, 48, Apohia Kyosimire, 18, Victory Gumoshabe, 7, and Shafi Ndahikire, 32, all from Kiruruma Village.
He allegedly injured Dick Tumuheirwe, Emmanuel Mbarekye and Frank Twongyeirwe.
For each of the murdered people and those attempted murders where read on each charge sheet thus charging him with 8counts of murder and three counts of attempted murders.
As the trial commenced the prosecution side led by Lt. Charles Ssekiyita told court that they are to present 25 Witnesses in the case.
Defence counsel Cpt. Paul Rwabwogo never objected to the witnesses but asked court to have all the witnesses in this case out of court which court granted.
“I would pray that this court grants permission to have all witnesses read out loud to court and have them out of court as trial commences”. he said.
Court adjourned for a lunch break shortly after the first witness testified before court.
There was drama in court after the first prosecution witness cpl Kamugisha Enock failed to tell the year he was born and the date he joined the army.
This was after the defence counsel asked the witness to tell court when he was born and when he joined the army.
“can this witness tell this honourable court when he was born and the date he joined the army, in answering i dont know well when i was born and the day i joined the army but I know the year I joined the army he said.
This drew l aughters in court and reactions as most people queried whether he would give the right testimonies to the court.
“remember you have taken oath before this court to tell the truth so please tell the truth the defence counsel intorragted the witness.
“we take the court to areas where the offenses are committed so that the affected civilians be able to follow the proceedingz” major Kakurungu the second division Updf spokesperson said.
Some of the witnesses are the victims in the shooting and others are the affected residents.
One of the witnesses Dickson Tumuheirwe 19 who was a victim of shooting says, “am happy this court is sitting here, I want and will see justice take route”.
“yes I was compensated with five hundred thousand shillings when i was at kambuga hospit but justice for these scars and the dead is more importAnt than anything now, it is all I want to see” he says.