Brigadier Ondoga's trial flops over quoram

Feb 13, 2014

The trial of Brigadier Michael Ondoga, a former commander of the AMISOM, fails to continue over lack of quorum.

By Pascal Kwesiga                       

The trial of Brigadier Michael Ondoga, the former commander of the Ugandan troop contingent serving under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), failed to continue over lack of quorum.


The state prosecutor, Capt. Fredrick Kangwamu, told the general court martial chaired by Brig. Moses Ssentongo that he was not ready to proceed because there was no quorum.

Ondoga faces service offences that reportedly resulted into loss of lives and army equipment, diversion of fuel, loss of troop morale and feeding soldiers on food rations and consumption of dirty water in war-torn Somalia.

Him and Capt. Joy Atugonza rejected Maj. Jane Mukasa (a member of the army court) from hearing their cases because she reportedly celebrated when the two were arrested.

Atugonza, a former logistics officer of the Ugandan troop contingent in Somalia, is also facing offences relating to failure to execute duties, and of uttering false documents.

The duo said Mukasa was in Somalia when the offences they are facing were allegedly committed, and went on to argue that they did not expect justice in a court where she is a member.

Lt. Col. Edson Muhanguzi, a key prosecution witness, told court recently that Ondoga penned a confidential letter to the army chief of defense forces (CDF), Gen. Katumba Wamala in which he highlighted the anomalies in their operation in Somalia.

Muhanguzi said he attended a secret meeting during which he discussed Ondoga’s offences with Gen. Wamala and Brig. Charles Bakahumura – the chief of military intelligence – before the accused (Ondoga) was charged in court last year.

Frank Kanduho, Ondoga’s lawyer said his client was willing to have Mukasa returned to the bench so that his trial can proceed, explaining that the fears of his client about Mukasa had been allayed.

But Kangwamu objected, arguing that according to the rules of procedure in the UPDF Act, a member of court that has been disqualified from hearing a matter cannot be allowed back.

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