The 5th division army court martial has sentenced a UPDF soldier to 35 years in prison for shooting a civilian.

The Court Martial seated in Kaabong town Council chaired by Lt Col Christopher Mbezaki sentenced private Aluma Abiriga George 30 (No :RA 215303) to 35 years in prison for shooting to death one David Angura at Kapolon Bar Kakamar parish Sidok Sub county in Kaabong.

Aluma had intended to kill one woman identified as Lezeah Patricia with whom he had had a domestic quarrel but the bullet instead killed Angura.

Prosecution heard that on December 29, 2011, at 8:00pm, Aluma grabbed a gun from one of the soldiers and opened fire aiming at Lezeah and missed her narrowly and instead shot Angura.

Court reasoned that Aluma was given a light sentence because he did not have malice a fore thought.

The Army Court Martial is a special court that summarily tries soldiers who commit crimes especially in areas of operation.

Several people including civilians have been charged and sentenced to death by hanging or firing squad in Karamoja.

In September 8th 2010, the 3rd division Army court martial sentenced to death a 20 year old boy one Chuba Lochieng who shot dead the son of former army chief of staff brigadier Nakibus Lakara in an ambush along Kotido Abim road in an extra ordinary trial that lasted for one week.

In 2003, two UPDF soldiers were summarily executed by firing squad for killing an Irish priest Fr. Declan O'toole a critique of the disarmament process attached to CARITAS Uganda who was murdered in an Ambush along Kotido- Moroto road causing wide spread condemnation among Human rights bodies in Uganda and world over.