Court Visits Mande

MEMBERS of the General Court Martial yesterday visited Lt. Col. Samson Mande at Mukisa Nursing Home in Makindye, reports Solomon Muyita. Mande, who has been admitted at the nursing home since February 12 and was on drip, is facing terrorism charges. A five-member court team led by Mande's defence counsel, Patrick Nyakana, included Majors Herbert Murombe and David Wakaro, Capt. Agnes Musoke, Alfred Arinaitwe and the state prosecutor, Capt. Richard Zziwa. The court ordered the visit after Zziwa said he was not convinced by reports that Mande was ill and hospitalised. Zziwa said Mande's absence was a way of delaying prosecution. Zziwa requested that Mande be produced in court on a stretcher. Nyakana objected to the application, saying it was unfair to carry a patient to court, as it amounted to mental torture. He said Mande was a senior army officer who deserved respect, and suggested that the court visit him in hospital for a doctor's explanation. Dr. Musa Musaaya told the court that Mande had a painful testis and was suffering from cancer. He said Mande was to undergo an operation on March 5, but this had been postponed because he was too weak. Mande, Uganda's former military attache in Tanzania, and Capt. Masembe Kabali are jointly charged with illegal possession of arms. They were reportedly caught on August 8, 1996 at Wakaliga, Natete in Kampala with seven sub-machine guns and ammunition. The two and others still at large were reportedly ferrying the guns in a minibus, 442 UBA. They were first granted bail in 1997, but were re-arrested in February over jumping the bail and detained in Makindye Military Police Barracks. The court on February 12, ruled that their re-arrest was illegal and their bail was reinstated. Investigations are complete and the prosecution is waiting for Mande's recovery. The case has now been set for mention on March 19. Ends