Kayihura co-accused arraigned in Military Court

CRIME

KAMPALA - Seven former Police bosses, including former Flying Squad Unit boss, Herbert Muhangi have been charged with three offences at the army court in the city suburbs of Makindye.

The court chairman, Lt. Gen. Andrew Gutti charged the suspects with two counts of failure to protect war materials and one of aiding the kidnap and illegal repatriation of Rwandan nationals.

These are the same charges, former police chief, Gen. Kale Kayihura is facing before the same court.

The suspects include; former director of crime intelligence, Col. Ndahura Atwooki Birakurataki, former flying squad unit boss ACP Herbert Muhangi, 47, Police's Professional Standards Unit commandant SSP Nixon Agasirwe,47, former deputy commandant special operations unit SSP Richard Ndaboine, 37,  ex-commandant Special Operations Unit ASP Patrick Muramira, 42,  AIP Jonas Ayebaza, 29, and police constable Abel Muyomba Kitagenda, 34.  

Prosecution alleges that Kayihura and his co-accused aided or abetted the kidnap and repatriation of Rwandan exiles back to Rwanda against their wish, which offence is contrary to the Penal Code Act (PCA) Cap 120.

According to prosecution, Gen. Kayihura and his co-accused between 2012 and 2016, by omission or commission aided and abetted the actions of subordinate police officers to kidnap and repatriate Rwandan exiles, refugees and Ugandan citizens to Rwanda, namely, Lt. Joel Mutabazi (former aide to Rwanda's President, Paul Kagame), Jackson Kalemera alias Ndinga, and Sgt. Innocent Kariisa.

It is also alleged that Kayihura and his co-accused between 2010 and 2018 failed to provide accountability of arms that were under the elite units namely; the Flying Squad Unit (FSU), Special Operations Unit (SOU), Witness Protection Unit (WPU) and Directorate of Crime Intelligence (DCI).

Prosecution further alleges that the accused in the same years allowed the use of arms to unauthorised persons, namely, members of Boda boda 2010 head by Abdullah Kitatta, who together with others, is facing charges of illegal possession of army equipment in the same court.