Tumukunde trial back in court
Jan 11, 2007
THE trial of Brig. Henry Tumukunde resumed yesterday, with one witness giving his testimony.<br>Tumukunde is on trial for breaching army rules and spreading harmful propaganda. The witness, Ronald Kabugo, gave court a 16-page transcript of what transpired when Tumukunde was hosted on Radio One’s
By Charles Ariko
THE trial of Brig. Henry Tumukunde resumed yesterday, with one witness giving his testimony.
Tumukunde is on trial for breaching army rules and spreading harmful propaganda. The witness, Ronald Kabugo, gave court a 16-page transcript of what transpired when Tumukunde was hosted on Radio One’s Spectrum talk-show.
Tumukunde is alleged to have spread harmful propaganda on that show, reportedly accusing the army’s leadership of blocking his retirement, among other things.
Kabugo, a lecturer at the Institute of Languages at Makerere University, told court that it took him one week to transcribe the tape.
He said his head of department certified the transcript, which was tendered to court yesterday.
Tumukunde challenged Kabugo’s competence in carrying out the task.
Tumukunde’s lawyers, Oscar Kambona and McDusman Kabega, had earlier queried the accuracy of the transcript, saying it seemed some words were missing. They told court that Kabugo was not an expert on audio-translations.
Prosecution yesterday said they would call another witness to testify, and asked court if the witness could give his testimony in camera. This prompted Tumukunde’s lawyers to protest.
The Judge Advocate, Maj. Wilson Mwesigwa, said there was no way the court could grant the prosecution’s prayer when the witness was not in court.
The General Court Martial chairman, Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta, adjourned the hearing to Wednesday, January 17.
THE trial of Brig. Henry Tumukunde resumed yesterday, with one witness giving his testimony.
Tumukunde is on trial for breaching army rules and spreading harmful propaganda. The witness, Ronald Kabugo, gave court a 16-page transcript of what transpired when Tumukunde was hosted on Radio One’s Spectrum talk-show.
Tumukunde is alleged to have spread harmful propaganda on that show, reportedly accusing the army’s leadership of blocking his retirement, among other things.
Kabugo, a lecturer at the Institute of Languages at Makerere University, told court that it took him one week to transcribe the tape.
He said his head of department certified the transcript, which was tendered to court yesterday.
Tumukunde challenged Kabugo’s competence in carrying out the task.
Tumukunde’s lawyers, Oscar Kambona and McDusman Kabega, had earlier queried the accuracy of the transcript, saying it seemed some words were missing. They told court that Kabugo was not an expert on audio-translations.
Prosecution yesterday said they would call another witness to testify, and asked court if the witness could give his testimony in camera. This prompted Tumukunde’s lawyers to protest.
The Judge Advocate, Maj. Wilson Mwesigwa, said there was no way the court could grant the prosecution’s prayer when the witness was not in court.
The General Court Martial chairman, Lt. Gen. Ivan Koreta, adjourned the hearing to Wednesday, January 17.