Gen. Sejusa remanded to Luzira Prison

Gen. David Sejusa was remanded to Luzira Prison on Tuesday after being charged with insubordination, absence without official leave (AWOL) and participating in political party activities contrary to UPDF law.

He has been remanded to Luzira until February 9 (next Tuesday) when he will appear before court for hearing of bail application.

Appearing before the General Court Martial in Makindye, the former co-ordinator of intelligence services was charged with insubordination for defying the Chief of Defence Forces (CCF) Gen. Katumba Wamala's orders when he attended political rallies in Kabale and Arua.

This comes days after he was arrested from his home in Naguru, Kampala.

Sejusa, appearing calm inside the army court dock, was also charged with participating in political party activities contrary to UPDF law.

The army general went into self-imposed exile in London in 2013 and returned to Uganda in 2014.

Earlier in court, his lawyer, David Mushabe, said they had not been given the charge sheet so they could "advise our client", leading to a 15-minute adjournament.

Prior to Tuesday's court session, Ofwono Opondo, the government spokesperson, alleged that the general was taking part in partisan politics, contrary to the army's code of conduct.

Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda, had said the charges against Sejusa were in connection with the utterances he allegedly made that Col. Kizza Besigye, the FDC party flag-bearer, had won elections in 2006, but the election was rigged in favour of President Yoweri Museveni.

The charges against Sejusa reportedly relate to his alleged claims that President Museveni had a hand in the post-election violence in Kenya that left hundreds dead in 2007, Ankunda had told New Vision.

Once back in session after a brief adjournment, Maj. Gen. Karuhanga read out Gen. Sejusa's charge sheet which included statement of offense and absence without official leave.

Meanwhile, the Government has given details regarding the circumstances that led to the arrest and detention of Gen. David Sejusa at the weekend.

In a statement issued Monday, the Government said Sejusa, the former co-ordinator of intelligence services turned government critic, is linked to groups plotting mass uprisings after the February 18 elections.

Ahead of his appearance before the army court, Sejusa was being detained at Makindye military barracks.

Ofwono, who is also the Uganda Media Centre director, said during a media briefing Monday that Sejusa was being investigated for possible links to planned subversive acts.

"While the public has generally shunned recruitment into quasi political militias, some opposition groups continue to mobilise under the pseudoname of Power Ten (P10), mainly in Kampala, Wakiso and parts of Mukono districts," Ofwono said in a statement read to the media.

"It is this group that is responsible for the ongoing fraudulent collection of people's national identity cards (IDs) or writing down ID numbers with suspect dubious and criminal intentions."

"These same fringe opposition groups are mobilising what they call Platform to Rescue Uganda and Benghazi Pressure Group similar to those in Libya in 2010/11," said Ofwono.

(Find a lot more details on this in Tuesday's New Vision newspaper)

The Uganda Peoples Defense Forces (UPDF) picked the army general from his posh home in Naguru.

He was driven out of his compound in a military Sports Utility Vehicle, the fourth position of a highly guarded eight-car convoy, which sped off to an unknown destination.

Sejusa sat in the co-driver's seat and lowered his wind-screen. He could be seen endlessly nodding his head, and gesturing to the onlookers and neighbours, as if portraying discomfort of the events that were transpiring.

His arrest played out in a more sophisticated scene. Eyewitnesses (names withheld) told New Vision that the military men sealed off three routes to the general's home at about 8:30am local time.

Thirty minutes later, a convoy of 15 vehicles swung in. All the three routes heading to the Sejusa's homes were sealed off, with five vehicles sealing each of the routes.

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