Katabazi admits PRA activities
Jan 26, 2007
THE overall operations commander of the People’s Redemption Army (PRA) in West Nile has admitted that he was involved in an armed struggle against Uganda.
By Alfred Wasike
THE overall operations commander of the People’s Redemption Army (PRA) in West Nile has admitted that he was involved in an armed struggle against Uganda.
In a statement that the Government added to its appeal against the bail application for 11 PRA suspects, James Katabazi reveals that he joined the PRA in 2001, after being recruited by renegade Col. Samson Mande.
Katabazi and two other PRA suspects received amnesty on January 12, 2007 after they confessed their armed activities and renounced rebellion.
He disclosed that he was deployed in December 2004 by Col. Edson Muzoora to establish rebel operations and camps in Arua.
“In the course of our armed struggle, we operated in the areas of Yumbe, Koboko and Ludara in the West Nile sub-region,†he states. “At that time, I was overseeing the purchase of arms and ammunition for PRA operations, and we had so far purchased 76 sub-machine guns, four rocket-propelled grenades, four rocket-propelled shells, two rocket-propelled fuses, three hand grenades, 24 anti-personnel landmines, 23 anti-personnel fuses and 183 rounds of ammunition.â€
Katabazi also revealed that while in Arua, he established contacts and worked with some of the other PRA suspects presently charged.
He named Zediriga, George Sabuuni, Chandiga, Odogo, Baiga, Ajaga and Asega, who he confirmed were all “PRA activists and members.â€
On funding of their armament, he said two other suspects, Baiga and Musasizi, provided the money.
“The funding for the purchase of the said arms and ammunition would come to me through Baiga Abubakali who collected it from Musasizi Joseph.â€
Katabazi was arrested on November 21, 2004 by the UPDF, along with some of the other suspects.
“Since I knew that we had committed the offences with which we were charged, Peter Atwongyeirwe, Tumwesigye George alias Owakukiroru and I decided to renounce rebellion and commitment to the PRA by applying for amnesty,†he revealed.
He disclosed that none of the other suspects had applied for amnesty because “they are still committed to the PRA cause. I know that unless they renounce and abandon rebellion and are granted amnesty, there is a strong likelihood that the rest of the accused will go back to the above PRA activities, if released,†he stated.
THE overall operations commander of the People’s Redemption Army (PRA) in West Nile has admitted that he was involved in an armed struggle against Uganda.
In a statement that the Government added to its appeal against the bail application for 11 PRA suspects, James Katabazi reveals that he joined the PRA in 2001, after being recruited by renegade Col. Samson Mande.
Katabazi and two other PRA suspects received amnesty on January 12, 2007 after they confessed their armed activities and renounced rebellion.
He disclosed that he was deployed in December 2004 by Col. Edson Muzoora to establish rebel operations and camps in Arua.
“In the course of our armed struggle, we operated in the areas of Yumbe, Koboko and Ludara in the West Nile sub-region,†he states. “At that time, I was overseeing the purchase of arms and ammunition for PRA operations, and we had so far purchased 76 sub-machine guns, four rocket-propelled grenades, four rocket-propelled shells, two rocket-propelled fuses, three hand grenades, 24 anti-personnel landmines, 23 anti-personnel fuses and 183 rounds of ammunition.â€
Katabazi also revealed that while in Arua, he established contacts and worked with some of the other PRA suspects presently charged.
He named Zediriga, George Sabuuni, Chandiga, Odogo, Baiga, Ajaga and Asega, who he confirmed were all “PRA activists and members.â€
On funding of their armament, he said two other suspects, Baiga and Musasizi, provided the money.
“The funding for the purchase of the said arms and ammunition would come to me through Baiga Abubakali who collected it from Musasizi Joseph.â€
Katabazi was arrested on November 21, 2004 by the UPDF, along with some of the other suspects.
“Since I knew that we had committed the offences with which we were charged, Peter Atwongyeirwe, Tumwesigye George alias Owakukiroru and I decided to renounce rebellion and commitment to the PRA by applying for amnesty,†he revealed.
He disclosed that none of the other suspects had applied for amnesty because “they are still committed to the PRA cause. I know that unless they renounce and abandon rebellion and are granted amnesty, there is a strong likelihood that the rest of the accused will go back to the above PRA activities, if released,†he stated.