UPDF officer pins Kipoi over rebel recruitment

COURT

KAMPALA - A top UPDF officer has revealed to court that the former Bubulo West MP Tonny Nsubuga Kipoi tasked him to recruit soldiers in order to overthrow the government.

Testifying as prosecution witness five (PW5), Capt.  Abdul-el Majid, 41, Tuesday afternoon disclosed to the General Court Martial (GCM) that he was asked to recruit soldier within Air force to overthrow government.

"I could not believe that a person of his caliber can tell me to become a rebel," Majid told court presided over by Lt Gen. Andrew Gutti.

According to the witness, Kipoi told him that soldiers are paid little money and that the country is run by the first family who receive the best services.

"Kipoi told me that for those who are not in the first family do not benefit from the resources of the country," he narrated to court.

Majid noted that in 2012, Kipoi requested to meet him in Kampala at his office, near MTN building, where they met before heading to a guest house in Mutungo, a Kampala suburb.

He added that while at the guest house, Kipoi asked him to recruit people to help overthrow the government.

"I was given a task to recruit different men in the army that were willing to rebel and overthrow the government so that there is equitable distribution of resources."

Majid was testifying in the case where the former MP and five soldiers, attached to the armoured brigade in Masaka district are accused of plotting to overthrow the government.

They are Sgt Yunus Lemeriga, Cpl Rogers Mweru, Sgt Adams Mawa, Sgt Albino Okeng and Pte Dodola Ijosiga.

Prosecution led by Maj. Raphael Mugisha alleges that the accused and others still at large, between November 2012 and December 2013 in diverse places of Kampala, Wakiso, Nakasongola, Fort Portal, Ntoroko and Masaka convened meetings to recruit soldiers to jeopardise the security of the country.

The witness also disclosed that he and Kipoi met white men in one of the hotels in the city suburbs of Bugolobi and discussed about funding rebellious activities, setting communications systems that cannot be detected in the country, buying sniper guns and having a place for recruiting soldiers.

However, during cross-examination by Kipoi's lawyer Rtd Maj Ronald Idduli, the witness said he did not have the telephone print-outs to prove that he communicated with Kipoi.

The witness also could not recall the names of the hotels and guest houses where they met with Kipoi and also did not have the recordings of their conversations.

"How do you expect court to believe your testimony when you have never taken a pictures, recorded and gotten phone print-outs," Iduuli asked? And Majid said it is court's role to analyse the evidence and make a decision.

Gen. Gutti adjourned the hearing to February 12, 2019.