By Joachim Twino
Recently, Abdul Kitata tried to use his lawyer to challenge his continued prosecution in the military court martial. This move didn’t succeed as Justice Yasin Nyanzi of the High Court ruled in a manner that legitimized notorious Kitata’s continued trial in the army court. This news website has reliably established that this finding by Nyanzi was consistent with what President YK Museveni wants. We have been told by dependable sources that Museveni wants the Gen Andrew Gutti-led court martial to exclusively preside over all the trial proceedings involving ex-IGP Gen Kale Kayihura’s aides many of whom continue to languish in military detention. Examples include Nixon Agasirwe, Abdul Kitata, Joel Aguma, lately Abel Kitagenda and others.
This is what the reliable source told us clearly explaining why Museveni doesn’t want Bart Katureebe’s courts and Mike Chibita’s Directorate of Public Prosecution anywhere involved in the Kayihura men trials: “He rightly believes if you try them in Katureebe’s courts, they will hire the best defense lawyers who are corrupt and will do all it takes to get an acquittal on technicalities. The big man also considers that Chibita’s prosecutors are also corrupted and have always connived with the morally-corrupted police officers including some of those now on trial. He also believes the syndicate also involves some rogue judicial officers and there is no way these guys can ever be successfully prosecuted in Katureebe’s courts. On the other hand, Mzee is convinced that in the military court there is no room for judges being bribed and he is sure there will be a speedy trial and the guys won’t get away with it. But the most important factor is that the crimes they are alleged to have committed were orchestrated using ammunition that is a preserve of the military.” This source’s revelations clearly mean that it’s very unlikely the Kitatas will ever come out of that military detention because their matter is considered high profile and the big man is eager to use it to demonstrate to the international community that his government means business where it declares readiness to protect refugees under the non-refoulement principle. For comments, call/text/whatsapp us on 0703164755.
