The Masindi Field Artillery Division (FAD), Court Martial has sentenced two Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldiers to 40 years after being convicted in the murder of a civilian in Kiryandongo District.
Court Martial heard that the duo including Pte Jacob Opio and Warrant Officer One (WO1) George Ocen under the instruction of a civilian identified as Alfred Kabubi shot dead a civilian identified as Isaac Ogwang at Kankoba village in Kitwara parish, Kapondo sub-county, Kiryandongo district.
Prosecution told the Court Martial presided over by the Masindi FAD Court Martial Chairman, Lt Col Peter Irumba at Kapondo sub-county headquarters that the trio led to the demise of Ogwang in the offence committed on September 15, 2023.
Kabubi was also sentenced to 40 years in prison for the same crime.
The Kiryandongo-based Kibanda FM radio station, Lenox Muganwa, reports that appearing before the court martial, the trio pleaded guilty to the offence and requested for a lighter sentence.
Reading his verdict, Lt Col Irumba sentenced each of the convicts to 40 years imprisonment in Masindi government prison.
However, he advised them to appeal within 14 days since they deserve that right.
In an interview after the ruling, Capt Geoffrey Sunday, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) Masindi Field Artillery Division, said the court martial dispensed justice symbolic that UPDF does not condone crime.
“We hold the court martial sitting in public where the offence is committed to show that the army does not condone offences. This helps to detach recurrence of such offences,” he said.
