Senior UPDF officers seek bail in fuel theft case

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Four senior UPDF officers accused in a fuel theft case involving 270,000 litres of fuel have applied for bail before the General Court Martial in Makindye.

The officers are Brigadier General James Barigye Ruhesi, commandant of the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre (URDCC); Colonel David Ociti Kidega, staff officer for petroleum, oil and lubricants at the Joint Staff Logistics; Major Innocent Kikongi Mugumya, a transport officer at URDCC; and Captain Kenneth Labwon Kinyera, the procurement officer at the UPDF Joint Staff Health Services.

The bail application was presented on May 29, 2026, through their lawyers, Maj. Simon Nsubuga Busagwa and Elizabeth Nyansingwa, who cited various grounds they said justified the officers' temporary release pending trial.

In his application, Brig. Gen. Barigye told the court that he is of advanced age, has a fixed place of abode within the court's jurisdiction, has no pending charges before any other court and is willing to abide by any conditions set by the court if granted bail.

The senior UPDF officers accused in a fuel theft case involving 270,000 litres of fuel in the court dock. (Photo by Margret Zalwango)

He further argued that bail is a constitutional right and that the prosecution appears not to be ready for trial since investigations are still ongoing.

Barigye presented Maj. Gen. Apollo Kasita Gowa, former chief of citizenship and immigration control; retired Brig. Jeff Mukasa, former director of counter terrorism and JAT, and his brother, Mike Tumusiime, an independent consultant and retired United Nations employee, as his sureties.

Kidega's lawyers told the court that he is also of advanced age and has health complications that require regular medical check-ups with his personal doctor. They further stated that he lost his mother while in custody and needs to organise her final funeral rites.

They added that he has been in custody for a year, has a fixed place of abode in Jokolera, Kasangati, remains presumed innocent until proven guilty or until he pleads guilty, and has a family that depends on him.

Kidega presented his deputy at URDCC, Col Joseph Ocen Patrick, his brother, retired Major Patrick Ociti, and his wife, Angella Anec, as sureties. They assured the court that they would ensure his attendance whenever required.

The defence also presented sureties for Capt. Kinyera, including Captain Okello Owi, who works at Joint Staff Logistics at Mbuya headquarters, and Peace Anuken, Kinyera's wife.

The prosecution, led by Capt. Gift Mubehamwe, Capt Alex Mukwana and 2Lt Regina Nanzala informed the court that it intends to oppose the bail application. However, the prosecution requested until June 29, 2026, to file its response.

The prosecution also asked the court to compel the sureties to provide their telephone contacts and copies of movement orders for the serving soldiers who had appeared as sureties.

The court, chaired by Brig Gen. Richard Tukacungurwa, further remanded the four applicants to Makindye Military Detention Facility until June 29, 2026, when the prosecution's response to the bail application will be heard.

The charges

The prosecution alleges that between July 2022 and December 2023, in Kampala and Jinja, the four officers diverted about 270,000 litres of automotive gas oil intended for the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre for personal use.

All the accused denied the charges.

It is alleged that the fuel theft occurred at the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre in Jinja, where significant quantities of fuel reportedly went missing every month. The alleged theft is estimated to have caused losses amounting to billions of shillings over a three-year period.