Loput Denis
3 September 2002
opinion
Kampala — On Aug. 29, a military court martial sat at Moroto district headquarters for the last hearing of a case involving UPDF soldiers who allegedly contravened Section 19 (10 and 2) of the NRA Statute of 1992.
But the complainant lost the case not because she had no substantive evidence but because there was a lot of intimidation and she never felt secure. She lost control of herself and told the translator to stop asking her questions and that if the soldiers want let them arrest her.
Government must realise that the manner in which an educated person argues in any forum, but most especially in court, cannot compare with that of a semi-illiterate person.
The mother of External Security Organisation chief David Pulkol was forcefully picked by military men from her home to go and testify in a court full of military men - well educated commissioned army officers. The woman, who was forced to swallow her own beads during an operation led by Lt. Peter Twesigye in May, has never been to school.
The court proceedings were designed in a way that Pulkol's mother was forced to accept every word mentioned by the officers on behalf of the state.
The case was between UPDF and civilians, and it would have been wise for hearings to be conducted before both civilian and military magistrates.
Also, UPDF should stop throwing dust in our eyes by bringing to us pre-arranged court sessions in public places.
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