Army ghosts case resumes
Aug 15, 2005
FORMER second division chief Col. Poteli Kivuna went on trial yesterday at the General Military Court Martial for allegedly diverting sh500m meant for the recruitment of soldiers in western Uganda in 2003.
By Maurice Okore
FORMER second division chief Col. Poteli Kivuna went on trial yesterday at the General Military Court Martial for allegedly diverting sh500m meant for the recruitment of soldiers in western Uganda in 2003.
Poteli went on trial together with Lt. Col. Dura Mawa Muhindo, the former 507 Brigade commander, before court chairman Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine.
The trial had been halted partly because Tumwine was on a course at Kimaka in Jinja.
Yesterday, journalists and the friends and relatives of the army officers were not allowed into the courtroom for the trial for security reasons.
Prosecution told the court that the evidence to be adduced by witnesses included discussions between the High Command and senior UPDF officers in operation areas, troop movement and deployment positions and intelligence information from Bombo Army headquarters.
Mawa and Poteli allegedly conspired to defraud the Government of sh64m through a forged list of soldiers sent to the army finance director.
Prosecution said the army officers also inflated the army payroll with 468 ghost soldiers and defrauded the army of sh64m.
They are jointly charged with Sgt. Bernard Turyamushanga, the former division officer for bills and Lt. Kenneth Ayebale, the former military assistant to former army commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini and Capt. Michael Baryaguma.
Other cases being heard in camera are those of brigadiers Nakibus Lakara and Stephen Kashaka.
FORMER second division chief Col. Poteli Kivuna went on trial yesterday at the General Military Court Martial for allegedly diverting sh500m meant for the recruitment of soldiers in western Uganda in 2003.
Poteli went on trial together with Lt. Col. Dura Mawa Muhindo, the former 507 Brigade commander, before court chairman Lt. Gen. Elly Tumwine.
The trial had been halted partly because Tumwine was on a course at Kimaka in Jinja.
Yesterday, journalists and the friends and relatives of the army officers were not allowed into the courtroom for the trial for security reasons.
Prosecution told the court that the evidence to be adduced by witnesses included discussions between the High Command and senior UPDF officers in operation areas, troop movement and deployment positions and intelligence information from Bombo Army headquarters.
Mawa and Poteli allegedly conspired to defraud the Government of sh64m through a forged list of soldiers sent to the army finance director.
Prosecution said the army officers also inflated the army payroll with 468 ghost soldiers and defrauded the army of sh64m.
They are jointly charged with Sgt. Bernard Turyamushanga, the former division officer for bills and Lt. Kenneth Ayebale, the former military assistant to former army commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini and Capt. Michael Baryaguma.
Other cases being heard in camera are those of brigadiers Nakibus Lakara and Stephen Kashaka.