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Three UPDF officers remanded for murder
The accused persons are taken to the Magistrate's Court in Lira City where they were charged with four counts on July 9, 2021. PHOTO/BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
- The soldiers jointly charged with three civilians, who also made their initial appearance in court on Friday, are facing four counts of murder, obstruction, conspiracy and neglect.
Three Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers including a Lieutenant Colonel have been remanded to prison over the murder of a retired soldier in Oyam District.
RA255934 Pte Emmanuel Ogete Emmanuel, RO08695 Lt Col Nelson Ayebale and RA 155856 Cpl BasajjabalabaSuleman appeared before the Lira City Grade 1 Magistrate, Igga Adiru on Friday.
The soldiers jointly charged with three civilians, who also made their initial appearance in court on Friday, are facing four counts of murder, obstruction, conspiracy and neglect.
Murder is the first count which combines all the six accused persons. Accordingly, the magistrate also charged them with murder- contrary to section 188 and 189 of the Penal Code Act.
Prosecution asserts that ‘‘RA255934 Pte Emmanuel Ogete, RO08695 Lt Col Nelson Ayebale, RA 155856 Cpl Suleman Basajjabalaba, Morris Oluk, Jimmy Okello, Boniface Ogwang and others still at large on the April 24, 2021 at Wigweng ‘A’ Village in Oyam District with malice aforethought killed Ramidious Okello. Okello was allegedly killed following a land wrangle with his brother.’’
At this point, the presiding magistrate asked whether they all understood the charge, and the accused persons responded: “Yes”.
The second count is for only Lt Col Nelson Ayebale and it is obstruction contrary to section 238 (b) of the Penal Code Act.
The particulars of the offence are that Lt Col Ayebale on April 24, 2021 at Wigweng ‘A’ Village in Oyam District wilfully obstructed Detective ASP Yiga Musaga, a police officer, in the execution of his duty by preventing the arrest of Pte Emmanuel Ogete.
Lt Col Ayebale is also accused of preventing the recovery of the killer gun riffle number UGUPDF561552 1115, with 25 rounds of ammunition allegedly used in the murder of Okello.
“The third count is for all of you people: Conspiracy to commit a felony. It is contrary to section 309 of the Penal Code Act,” the Magistrate told court.
The fourth count was slapped on Lt Col Ayebale and Cpl Basajjabalaba as ‘‘neglect of duty contrary to section 114 of the Penal Code Act.’’
The particulars of this offence are that the accused persons on April 24, 2021 at Wigweng ‘A’ Village in Oyam District being persons deployed in public body, UPDF, neglected their duty to arrest Okello Remejio and recover a riffle and ammunitions from him.
The accused persons were not allowed to take plea since the lower court does not offer jurisdiction on the count of murder.
“So, you will listen to your charges but you will not answer these charges before me, okay?” Magistrate Igga said.
The six accused persons were remanded to prison till July 26 when they will be brought to court for plea-taking.
