A group of nine supporters of opposition National Unity Platform(NUP) have been granted amnesty by the Uganda Amnesty Commission.
The nine who have been in custody since the 2021 general elections were on Friday released after applying to the General Court Martial in Makindye for pardon by the court.
Chaired by Brig Richard Tukacungurwa, the army court okayed the application for amnesty by Yasin Ssekitoleko, alias Machete, Patrick Mwase, Sharif Kalanzi, Joseph Muwonge, Abdalla Kintu, Emma Umar Kato, Musa Kavuma, Jimmy Galukande, and Abdallah Hakim Gibusiwa.
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Earlier, the army prosecution said it was okay with the application for amnesty by the group.
During the court proceedings, the Amnesty Commission principal legal officer, Nathan Twinomugisha, received the beneficiaries on behalf of the commission and will now undergo rehabilitation, counselling and reintegration before being reunited with their families .
The charges
The group was being accused of treachery contrary to Section 127(a) of the UPDF Act and unlawful possession of ammunition contrary to Section 158(2)(c) of the same law.
The state alleged that between March and May 2021, the accused, while operating in various parts of Kampala Metropolitan Area including Kireka, Nakulabye, Kawempe, Natete and Nakasero as well as Jinja and Mbale cities, acted as agents of a rebel group referred to as the Bali Bali group.
The state also alleged that the group engaged in war or war-like activities against the government of Uganda by recruiting members, undergoing training and unlawfully detonating improvised explosive devices, which are ordinarily the monopoly of the Defence Forces, targeting motor vehicles and other infrastructure in the affected areas for purposes said to be prejudicial to national security.
The prosecution also told court that between November 2020 and May 12, 2021, the accused were found in unlawful possession of improvised explosive devices in Kampala, Wakiso, Jinja and Mbale, forming the basis of the second count of unlawful possession of ammunition.
