Court martial acquits two LDU officers of assault

The Uganda People's Defence Force (UPDF) 1st Division Court Martial chaired by Col Sam Mugyenyi has acquitted two Local Defence Unit (LDU) personnel of the charge of assault causing bodily harm to Mityana District Chairperson, Joseph Luzige.

The court also reduced the same charge placed against a third militant to common assault after the complainant was found to have falsely accused the militants and initiated the scuffle.

LDU Okello Isaac, LDU Odeke Solomon, and Lance Corporal Angulia Simon Peter had been arrested and charged with assault causing bodily harm following an incident on July 07, 2020.  The trio was filmed in a scuffle with the LC5 chairman as they enforced the COVID-19 directives and allegedly injured his eye.

The two LDUs were acquitted when the court proved their innocence after the cross-examination of four witnesses, including the complainant.

There was no proof that the district chairman's eye was injured or that he had obtained grievous bodily harm as he alleged.

A witness, Dr. Lubogo, denied having treated the district chairperson after the scuffle as had been recorded on the charge sheet and statements. Dr. Lubogo is a Senior Medical Officer in Mityana.

Another eyewitness also proved that it was the district chairman who sparked off the brawl by being the first to violently grab Lance Corporal Simon Peter Angulia by the collar of his military attire while on duty.

Nevertheless, considering the subsequent actions of Lance Corporal Angulia against the district leader, having failed to observe restraint as required by the standing operating procedures, the court did not set him free but rather reduced his charge from assault causing bodily harm to common assault.

He was convicted of common assault and sentenced to four months' detention in a government prison.

The case was concluded after three court sittings; at Kakiri for mention and twice at Mityana for hearing.

This followed a visit to Mityana by a team comprising of the Deputy Commander Land Forces Maj Gen Sam Kavuma, 1st Division Commander Maj Gen Samuel Kawagga, and the Chief Political Commissar Maj Gen Henry Matsiko, to make inquiries on the alleged assault of the District Chairperson.

The UPDF has a zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline and remains respectful to the civilian authority.