Court Martial aquits Brig. Lakara
The former chief of staff, Brig. Nakibus Lakara has been acquitted of charges of disobedience of lawful orders from the Commander-in-Chief of the army.
By Edward Anyoli and Angela Nalumansi
The former chief of staff, Brig. Nakibus Lakara has been acquitted of charges of disobedience of lawful orders from the Commander-in-Chief of the army.
Prosecution had alleged that Lakara, while at the UPDF headquarters at Bombo, disobeyed the directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and transferred some soldiers contrary to orders stopping the transfer.
Lt. General Ivan Koreta, the chairman of the General Court martial, on Wednesday acquitted Lakara, saying there was no sufficient evidence that Lakara was aware of the directives or ever received the instructions.
He said in absence of the evidence; “it casts doubt in court’s mind as to whether he received the document of the directivesâ€
Prosecution had alleged that Lakara transferred some soldiers contrary to the President’s directives.
In a letter copied to members of the army council, President Yoweri Museveni the Commander-in-Chief had issued a directive to stop the transfer of the soldiers.
During the trial that begun in 2004, Lakara denied receiving any orders.
The fate of Lakara’s co-accused, Maj. Gen James Kazini, the former army commander, is unknown. Kazini petitioned, challenging his trial by the Court Martial. He had already been convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment on another case of causing financial loss of sh61m to the Government.
The Constitutional Court in April this year stopped the General Court Martial from delivering its judgment in the case in which Kazini is accused of disobeying the Commander in Chief, between 2002 and 2003.
The former chief of staff, Brig. Nakibus Lakara has been acquitted of charges of disobedience of lawful orders from the Commander-in-Chief of the army.
Prosecution had alleged that Lakara, while at the UPDF headquarters at Bombo, disobeyed the directive of the Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces and transferred some soldiers contrary to orders stopping the transfer.
Lt. General Ivan Koreta, the chairman of the General Court martial, on Wednesday acquitted Lakara, saying there was no sufficient evidence that Lakara was aware of the directives or ever received the instructions.
He said in absence of the evidence; “it casts doubt in court’s mind as to whether he received the document of the directivesâ€
Prosecution had alleged that Lakara transferred some soldiers contrary to the President’s directives.
In a letter copied to members of the army council, President Yoweri Museveni the Commander-in-Chief had issued a directive to stop the transfer of the soldiers.
During the trial that begun in 2004, Lakara denied receiving any orders.
The fate of Lakara’s co-accused, Maj. Gen James Kazini, the former army commander, is unknown. Kazini petitioned, challenging his trial by the Court Martial. He had already been convicted and sentenced to three years imprisonment on another case of causing financial loss of sh61m to the Government.
The Constitutional Court in April this year stopped the General Court Martial from delivering its judgment in the case in which Kazini is accused of disobeying the Commander in Chief, between 2002 and 2003.