Witness denies letter to Museveni
Apr 25, 2006
A WITNESS in the treason case against FDC president Col. Kizza Besigye and 22 others yesterday denied writing to President Yoweri Museveni over the case currently in court.
By Milton Olupot, Hillary Nsambu & Hillary Kiirya
A WITNESS in the treason case against FDC president Col. Kizza Besigye and 22 others yesterday denied writing to President Yoweri Museveni over the case currently in court.
Lt. Migadde Ssemakula, attached to the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), was planted to spy on the Reform Agenda during the 2001 Presidential Elections. He was yesterday appearing for cross-examination by Besigye’s lawyers.
Appearing before Justice Vincent Kagaba, the witness was confronted with a letter dated April 20, 2006 bearing his army number RO833, his telephone number and his purported signature, addressed to Museveni, citing contradictions in the case that could lead to its failure.
The letter also complains of failure by Migadde’s supervisors to facilitate him and reward him after accomplishing a number of missions in relation to rebel activities.
The witness however, denied authoring the letter.
Defence lawyer David Mpanga in his cross-examination insisted that the letter was written and signed by Migadde and warned that a handwriting expert would be brought in to confirm that it was Migadde’s letter to Museveni. He insisted on probing the witness on the contents of the letter.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Simon Byabakama Mugenyi objected to the questioning, saying the witness had denied the document and in effect, he could not be subjected to answer any questions related to the document.
The Judge agreed with Byabakama.
In the letter, Migadde is purported to have said he was sentenced to death by court martial but was released on appeal after 10 years in jail, but subsequently dismissed from the army.
He said he was, however, picked by Col. Kayanja and re-absorbed into ISO as an informer and eventually an operative, where he accomplished a number of missions.
The witness, who joined the NRA armed struggle in 1981 and among the first 1,000 fighters in the Luweero bushes, is still a lieutenant, although some of his squad-mates with whom he was promoted to that rank are now generals and in the top leadership of the UPDF.
In the purported letter, the writer complains of having been used by security agencies and being dumped after accomplishing his tasks.
He also expresses fear that the same will happen after this case.
Migadde had admitted being ill-financed for his job and sometimes, using his personal funds for official work. But he insisted that he was not complaining because he was earning a salary.
The letter cited cases of exposure of Besigye’s alleged treason activities, the arrest of renegade Herbert Itongwa’s remnants, and the rebels who attacked Kabwangasi Police post and stole guns, the arrest of LRA collaborators in the army and the recovery of guns in West Nile.
“Your excellency, I performed all the above mentioned missions with the hope that I would be rewarded or recognised by the Government, but some government officials now don’t want to look at me.
“Now Dr. Kizza Besigye’s case of treason is in the High Court and again, they have called me to be one of the witnesses and I feel I am going to be used and again back to the streets of Kampala.
“Your excellency, in Col. Besigye’s treason case, there are so many contradictions, which will lead to the government losing the case. I know this mission right from the beginning and proper information, but because of mis-handling of government records, the file in which I was putting reports, up to now is no anywhere to be seen,†the letter, which requests to have physical meeting with the President, says.
In cross-examination, Migadde said he did not make an oath of allegiance when he joined ISO, but said he had a letter of confirmation of appointment to ISO and an employment deed.
Court ordered that the witness appears in court today with the documents, for further cross-examination. The earlier witness, George Abedo, is also expected to reappear tomorrow for re-examination.
Migadde had told court that he opened a file at ISO headquarters, which was code-named Operation-Sekanyolya, for the Reform Agenda (RA) that he was spying on.
Mpanga showed Migadde the hierarchy in ISO and contested that he did not belong to any of the stipulated positions, but Migadde insisted that he was an “Operative†as his rank in the spy body.
A WITNESS in the treason case against FDC president Col. Kizza Besigye and 22 others yesterday denied writing to President Yoweri Museveni over the case currently in court.
Lt. Migadde Ssemakula, attached to the Internal Security Organisation (ISO), was planted to spy on the Reform Agenda during the 2001 Presidential Elections. He was yesterday appearing for cross-examination by Besigye’s lawyers.
Appearing before Justice Vincent Kagaba, the witness was confronted with a letter dated April 20, 2006 bearing his army number RO833, his telephone number and his purported signature, addressed to Museveni, citing contradictions in the case that could lead to its failure.
The letter also complains of failure by Migadde’s supervisors to facilitate him and reward him after accomplishing a number of missions in relation to rebel activities.
The witness however, denied authoring the letter.
Defence lawyer David Mpanga in his cross-examination insisted that the letter was written and signed by Migadde and warned that a handwriting expert would be brought in to confirm that it was Migadde’s letter to Museveni. He insisted on probing the witness on the contents of the letter.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Simon Byabakama Mugenyi objected to the questioning, saying the witness had denied the document and in effect, he could not be subjected to answer any questions related to the document.
The Judge agreed with Byabakama.
In the letter, Migadde is purported to have said he was sentenced to death by court martial but was released on appeal after 10 years in jail, but subsequently dismissed from the army.
He said he was, however, picked by Col. Kayanja and re-absorbed into ISO as an informer and eventually an operative, where he accomplished a number of missions.
The witness, who joined the NRA armed struggle in 1981 and among the first 1,000 fighters in the Luweero bushes, is still a lieutenant, although some of his squad-mates with whom he was promoted to that rank are now generals and in the top leadership of the UPDF.
In the purported letter, the writer complains of having been used by security agencies and being dumped after accomplishing his tasks.
He also expresses fear that the same will happen after this case.
Migadde had admitted being ill-financed for his job and sometimes, using his personal funds for official work. But he insisted that he was not complaining because he was earning a salary.
The letter cited cases of exposure of Besigye’s alleged treason activities, the arrest of renegade Herbert Itongwa’s remnants, and the rebels who attacked Kabwangasi Police post and stole guns, the arrest of LRA collaborators in the army and the recovery of guns in West Nile.
“Your excellency, I performed all the above mentioned missions with the hope that I would be rewarded or recognised by the Government, but some government officials now don’t want to look at me.
“Now Dr. Kizza Besigye’s case of treason is in the High Court and again, they have called me to be one of the witnesses and I feel I am going to be used and again back to the streets of Kampala.
“Your excellency, in Col. Besigye’s treason case, there are so many contradictions, which will lead to the government losing the case. I know this mission right from the beginning and proper information, but because of mis-handling of government records, the file in which I was putting reports, up to now is no anywhere to be seen,†the letter, which requests to have physical meeting with the President, says.
In cross-examination, Migadde said he did not make an oath of allegiance when he joined ISO, but said he had a letter of confirmation of appointment to ISO and an employment deed.
Court ordered that the witness appears in court today with the documents, for further cross-examination. The earlier witness, George Abedo, is also expected to reappear tomorrow for re-examination.
Migadde had told court that he opened a file at ISO headquarters, which was code-named Operation-Sekanyolya, for the Reform Agenda (RA) that he was spying on.
Mpanga showed Migadde the hierarchy in ISO and contested that he did not belong to any of the stipulated positions, but Migadde insisted that he was an “Operative†as his rank in the spy body.