Ex-Amisom commander grilled in court martial

By Pascal Kwesiga & Kasozi Balikuddembe        
                                 
The former commander of Battle Group (BG) 10 under the UN-funded African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM), Lt. Col. Edson Muhanguzi, has been grilled in the General Court Martial after he blamed the “food shortages” in the mission area on a junior officer.

Muhanguzi was the BG 10 commander from October 2012 to June 2013 when he was suspended from the mission area over allegations of misappropriating food supplies.

Muhanguzi, who was an acting colonel, was also demoted to Lt.Col following his recall from Mogadishu.

Muhanguzi was grilled by John Paul Baingana, a lawyer of the ex- logistics officer of the Uganda military contingent in Somalia, Capt. Joy Atugonza, after he stated that the accused (Atugonza) is responsible for the anomalies in the food supplies that hit BG 10 in 2013.

Atugonza is accused of having failed in her duties when the troops under BG 10 were fed on combat ration packs (tinned food) during an advance operation in Mogadishu in 2013.

She denies the charges. Muhanguzi testified against Atugonza in the court in Makindye, a Kampala suburb, on Friday.

There were bitter exchanges between the lawyer and Muhanguzi as the barrister asked him to confirm that he and his deputy, Lt. Col Jackson Kansiime, were involved in the sale of food meant for the frontline troops of BG 10.

Kansiime, who was charged over misappropriation of food in the mission area, is currently out on bail.

Muhanguzi and Kansiime are key state witnesses in charges against the ex-commander of the Uganda military contingent, Brig. Michael Ondoga, Atugonza and the contingent’s former military information officer, Lt. Col. Sam Kirya.

“I am not aware that I was suspended. They just called me from the mission area and when I asked why I was needed in Kampala, they told me I would be informed on arrival,” Muhanguzi said “I am currently awaiting redeployment,”.

When asked to confirm that his former deputy (Kansiime) was charged over selling food meant for the troops in the same court, Muhanguzi replied, “I am not aware. Is that relevant to this case?”

The court chairman, Maj. Gen. Levy Karuhanga warned the witnesses against being hostile, saying “Just answer and we move on. Don’t ask,”

Baingana presented a document reportedly authored by, Capt. Julius Rubahimbya, the BG 10 civil and military cooperation officer, in which he faulted the commanders for failing to take action to stop the sale of fuel, lubricants and food items to Somalis.

Muhanguzi denied having received the document coped to him and Kansiime, but the court ordered him to read it after ascertaining that a copy of it was sent to him.

In a June 15, 2013 document, Rubahimbya complained that fuel, lubricants and food stuffs were being sold openly at the BG 10 headquarters and that Somali National Army (SNA) soldiers on several occasions beat up UPDF soldiers as they (UPDF) tried to stop the fuel and food stuffs from leaving the quarter guards on vehicles.

“I less than a month approximately more than 3,200 liters (fuel) was what guards managed to see leaving the defense area. SNA soldiers have on several occasions crashed out of our quarter guards and beaten up our soldiers for intercepting fuel,” Rubahimbya said,

“They (SNA) are calling us (UPDF) thieves because we sell and intercept them,”  Muhanguzi was also forced to look at the delivery notes for food stuffs that were delivered to BG 10 from the contingent’s headquarters.

“I want to put it to you that food was delivered and sold in your battle group,” Baingana said.

Asked to confirm that there would be delays in delays in the delivery of logistics to the troops due to difficulties encountered by the ships before docking at Mogadishu sea port from Mombasa sea port on the Indian Ocean, Muhanguzi said “I don’t know. Ask your logistics officer (Atugonza)”