Bombo shooting: Army court denies soldier bail
UPDF officers check people as they queued up to access the the General Court Martial session at Bombo Health Centre III on Monday. This was during the trial of Pte Patrick Odoki, who is accused of shooting 10 people. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA.
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Prosecution argued that the soldier, who is accused of shooting 10 people, could not be released since his offences were capital in nature.
Bombo
The UPDF soldier accused of killing 10 people was yesterday denied bail. The General Court Martial sitting before a public hearing at Bombo Health Centre III denied Pte Patrick Okot Odoki bail on grounds that the nature of his offences was capital. Capt. Nasser Drago, who represented the accused soldier, had earlier told court that his client had a constitutional right to bail.
The court’s decision was, however, prompted by an objection by prosecution who asked the court to consider the gravity of the offence. Pte Odoki, who was attached to the Air Defence at Bombo, is charged with 10 counts of murder, attempted murder, aggravated robbery, and failing to protect raw-materials.
The soldier, whose arrest followed a shooting at Bombo, however, denies the charges. Yesterday was his second day of appearance before the General Court Martial presided over by Brig. Fred Tolit.
Meanwhile, prosecution witnesses testified that the soldier shot at people in the bar, leaving 10 dead and four others injured. Two other witnesses; Pte David Balugala Lukwago and Cpl Paul Constatino Odongo accused him of killing their colleagues in March.
It is alleged that Pte Odoki abandoned his guard station and his 14.5mm aircraft gun at Bombo Army Barracks on the fateful night and proceeded to Gogonya Village in Bombo Town Council, where he allegedly robbed Ms Halima Lukiya of Shs2,000, a hand bag and a mobile telephone.
Prosecution alleges that after the said robbery, Pte Odoki proceeded to another village at Mpakawelo on a shooting spree. He was arrested on March 18 from Abere Trading Centre in Oyam District and he was handed over to Capt. Bairo Muhangi, the investigating officer in-charge of Lango Sub-region.
