Former boxer Justin Juuko released
What you need to know:
- Mr Juuko was due to be arraigned in the General Court martial but his lawyer, Mr Justinian Katera told this newspaper the court had exercised its discretion to withdraw the charges pending further investigation.
The army yesterday evening released without charge former international boxer, Mr Justin Juuko, after 19 days in detention.
Mr Juuko and a colleague, Mr Garrypaul Mayanja, both supporters of the Opposition Forum for Democratic Change party in the Greater Masaka Sub-region, were arrested by armed men dressed in plain clothes on December 12.
On Monday, after the FDC deputy secretary general, Mr Harold Kaija, applied to the High Court for orders to release the duo, it emerged that they had been arrested by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) on offences of treachery contrary to Section 129(C) of the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) Act and illegal possession of firearms contrary to Section 3(1) and (2) (a) of the Firearms Act.
Lawyer, Mr Justinian Katera, told Daily Monitor yesterday evening that the General Court Martial exercised its discretion to withdraw the charges pending further investigation leading to his release.
“Following a meeting between the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen David Muhoozi, the head of CMI and the head of military police and myself, the charges were dropped,” Mr Katera said.
The army indicated in its charge sheet that Mr Juuko was found training and mobilising youth from Kyengera, Kamnengo, Lukaya, Masaka, Kyabakuza and Lyantonde “on how to use martial arts, small arms (pistol and SMG) and catapults against Ugandans after the January 14, 2021 elections.”
The army, in a response through the Attorney General to the FDC petition, further alleged that Mr Juuko had been found with a numberless Star Pistol with seven rounds of ammunition which he was using to train the said groups of youth.
Since news of his arrest became public, there have been numerous calls and petitions both locally and internationally for his release.
Among the voices for his release included the US Democratic Party legislator, Ms Karen Bass, who in a statement on Tuesday called upon the Ugandan government to “stop unlawfully arresting, detaining, and beating citizens who have opposing view” which action she said “is clearly trying to intimidate Ugandans who oppose the government before the upcoming 2021 elections.”
Ms Bass, who chairs the House of Representatives sub-committee on Africa, said the charges against Mr Juuko and his co-accused must be investigated, and the duo released unharmed at once.
“Both of these men are being detained simply for their human rights advocacy and their right to peacefully challenge the current government. The Ugandan government must make the safety of all activists and opposition of the current regime a priority. The continued repression of civil society ahead of the upcoming elections cannot be tolerated,” the statement read in part.