Missing Entebbe businessman charged in army court over military items

After High Court order to government to have the missing Entebbe businessman, Mr Bruno Francis Bazibu presented, he was taken and charged before the army Unit Disciplinary tribunal at Mbuya. 

Justice Emmanuel Baguma of the High Court in Kampala yesterday heard that Mr Bazibu was charged last week with unlawful possession of ammunition that included paper spray, a teargas canister and a live bullet at his home in Bugembe, Gembe in Kasengeje in Wakiso district. 

The judge made the order after an application for a production warrant filed by Mr Bazibu's family seeking to have him  presented in a court after. 

When the case came up for hearing yesterday, the prosecution informed court that Mr Bazibu had appeared before a seven member army tribunal chaired by Col Tom Kabuye where he denied all the charges.

"A copy of the charge sheet was forwarded to me on email, he (Mr Bazibu) was charged on November 26 and his relatives and lawyers can access him. In the event we pray that the information I have given to court in return of the habeas corpus proves that the litigant was charged in court," the prosecutor told court.

However the family lawyer, Mr Umar Lukwago asked court to issue an order allowing them to access Mr Bazibu who was remanded to Makindye Military barracks until December 8 pending appearance in the General Court Martial. The judge issued the order. 

Mr Lukwago also informed court that Mr Bazibu is a civilian although he could not challenge the proceedings of the army disciplinary unit before the High Court. 

The army prosecution states that on November 11, 2020 while at Bugembe- Gembe in Kasengeje,  Bazibu was found in illegal possession of paper spray (tear gas) during the search in his house. The army further alleges that Bazibu was also found in illegal possession of one live bullet during the search of his vehicle. 

Mr Bazibu was presented in the army court and applied for bail on grounds that he was sick with pressure and Hepatitis B, breathing complication and was on medication and had a sick mother who needed his care. However he was denied bail for lack of sureties. 

"The application is not granted because you have no sureties, the reasons you are fronting are just heard as stories since there is no proof that you are sick. Even if you were, you will be treated professionally in prison. I adjourn the matter up to December 8," Col Kabuye ruled and remanded the accused to Makindye Military barracks. 

However Mr Bazibu's wife Ms Fiona Namazzi insists that her husband was arrested by soldiers of Special Forces Command (SFC) on October 31, 2020 while at Okello House in Kampala where he had gone for a meeting.