Barbara Among
6 July 2009
Kampala — The court of law will decide the fate of the 11 suspect rebel collaborators of the Uganda Patriotic Front held in Luzira Prison on treason charges, army spokesperson Maj. Felix Kulayigye has said.
He said the army would not arrest any more suspects, adding that the nucleus of the rebel group had been destroyed.
"As far as the investigation is concerned, the nucleus of the group has been destroyed and there will be no more arrest," Kulayigye said, but added that those in prison would not be released.
This follows a directive from President Yoweri Museveni to stop arresting suspected rebel collaborators in northern Uganda and Masindi district.
The directive was issued on Saturday at the advice of the Acholi leaders.
Gulu district chairman Norbert Mao, who has been named by the army as a rebel accomplice, yesterday called for the release of the 11 suspects.
Mao argued that the suspects were lured by people he called "misleaders".
Gulu resident district commissioner Col. Walter Ochora, who visited the suspects on Friday, said Acholi leaders would lobby the President for their release.
He said the prisoners did not pose a threat to the country following the arrest of their leaders.
Ochora said the group gave a detailed account of supporters, financiers and the leadership structures of the rebels.
"The President can as well release them so that we concentrate on the 'misleaders'."
He said the prisoners told him that 20 of their colleagues were still at large, adding that their release could aid the ongoing investigations.
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