Mbuya barracks attacker applies for amnesty

By Michael Odeng and Reginah Nalunga 

A security guard who was charged with offences relating to the attack on Mbuya Military barracks has applied for amnesty in order to regain his freedom.

Defence lawyer Maj. Ronald Iduuli told the General Court Martial presided over by Maj. Gen. Levi Karuhanga that Ivan Ebong, a security guard attached to Damacles private security company filed an application before the Amnesty Commission last week.

Iduuli asked court to temporarily halt proceedings against the accused persons until Ebong's application has been heard and determined by government.

By applying for amnesty, Ebong admitted having been involved in Mbuya attack.
          
Meanwhile, the two UPDF soldiers, Lt. Augustine Moro and Private Kenneth Kalokwera Okello who were charged with Ebong have not applied for amnesty, opting to prove their innocence in the courts of law. 

The accused persons appeared in court to answer offences related to security.

Prosecution has so far presented five witnesses to testify against the accused.
         

Amnesty is an action of a government by which all persons or certain groups of persons who have committed a criminal offence usually of a political nature that threatens the sovereignty of the government such as sedition or treason are granted immunity from prosecution.

Prosecution alleges that on March 4, 2013 the accused and others still at large at Lower Mbuya Military Barracks in Kampala, while armed with a firearm, attacked the guards manning the entrance to the base in order to acquire guns, an act intended to jeopardise the security of the defence forces.

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