Kabaziguruka refuses to plead
Nakawa MP Michael Kabaziguruka in the dock at the General Court Martial in Makindye in Kampala on Tuesday. PHOTO BY ABUBAKER LUBOWA
Kampala- Nakawa MP Michael Kabaziguruka on Tuesday refused to plead to charges of treachery saying he intends to appeal against the powers of the military court to try him.
He also requested for a certified copy of the ruling of the military court to enable him pursue justice in another court.
Earlier this year, Kabaziguruka challenged the military court’s jurisdiction to try him, being a civilian but the court overruled him on September 13. He petitioned the High Court but also lost.
High Court ruled that he was rightly charged in the military court. He now intends to petition the Court of Appeal. “As I earlier stated, I do not recognise the jurisdiction of this court and I also challenged it. I petitioned the High Court.
I will not take plea,” Mr Kabaziguruka told the General Court Martial at Makindye chaired by Lt Gen Andrew Gutti.
However, he was overruled by the court on advice of the Judge Advocate, Lt. Col Gideon Katinda, who told court to record a plea of not guilty for him. “He can appeal but we record a plea and adjourn to the next session,” said Lt Col Gideon Katinda.
Mr Kabaziguruka is jointly with 22 others including an Assistant Inspector of Police Ferdinand Obulejo, Felix Oluge, Fredrick Namara and Musa Lutwama. They are on remand on allegations of treachery and offences relating to security, which attract up to death sentence upon conviction.
Meanwhile two more soldiers were yesterday added to the same case bringing the number of the suspects to 25. Those charged are Woii Isaac Kabongwe, attached to Land Forces Command in Bombo, and Sgt Musa Mawa, an armoury man at Bombo barracks.
They denied the charges and were remanded to Makindye Military prison. The court chairman Lt Gen Gutti remanded all the accused until October 17 for mention of their case.
