Ex-AMISOM commander reprimanded over fraud

May 14, 2015

Ex- AMISOM commander, Major Louis Bagenda, convicted of fraud was yesterday sentenced to a reprimand by the General Court Martial (GCM)

By Michael Odeng

Ex- AMISOM commander, Major Louis Bagenda, convicted of fraud was Wednesday sentenced to a reprimand by the General Court Martial (GCM).


A letter of reprimand (LOR) is an administrative censure given to a soldier for a failure to comply with established standards. A reprimand can be career ending even without prescribed punishments, because it makes it difficult to secure advancements in rank.

In ordering the punishment, the Court Martial Chairman Maj. Gen. Levi Karuhanga ruled that Bagenda, being a Contingent military officer in charge of transport under the African Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) received $400 (about sh1.2m) from WOII Martin Rugyendo every two weeks.

Karuhanga issued the sentence considering one year the convict had spent on remand at Makindye Military Police Headquarters. He further stated that a plea of guilty is an indication that the convict is willing to reform. 

"This court has considered the convict's plea of guilty, the one year spent on remand and the fact that he is a first offender," Karuhanga stated.

Bagenda was charged with other fraudulent offences under section 176 (b) of the UPDF Act 2005 to which he pleaded not guilty in year 2014.

Prosecution led by Maj. Fredrick Kangwamu says that the convict between the months of June 2012 and April 2013 while at AMISOM, Uganda Contingent Headquarters, Mogadishu Somalia accepted sh1.2m being a consideration from Rugyendo which he received every two weeks. 

As the trial progressed, accused expressed willingness to change his plea to plea of guilty. Court accepted the plea and convicted the accused on his plea.

Kangwamu earlier on described the accused as a first offender with no criminal record. He further contended that the offence against the accused was intolerable in the mission area and called upon court to award a deterrent sentence.

In mitigation, counsel of the accused contented that he had saved court's time and resources by pleading guilty to the crime and therefore was remorseful and repentant.

Counsel also told court that the accused was a married person with seven children, two wives and hence a large family to fend for. He also imploring court to consider the accused a disciplined officer with a good service record and impose a lenient sentence. 
 

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