KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Chief of Defense Forces-CDF General Wilson Mbadi has called upon the newly appointed General Court Martial Chairperson Brigadier General Freeman Robert Mugabe to address the challenge of case backlog during his tenure.
He made the call while presiding over the ceremony where the former Court Martial chairperson, Lt. General Andrew Gutti handed over office to Mugabe at the Makindye-based military court on Monday.
General Mbadi pointed out that in his handover report, Lt. General Andrew Gutti noted the problem of various cases that have dragged on for a long time and thereby affecting the delivery of justice.
There are currently 300 pending cases in the General Court Martial. Mbadi tasked the Special Investigations Branch-SIB, which investigates most of the case files that come to Court Martial after the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence to conduct expeditious investigations to avoid case backlog.
Mbadi noted that as court officers, Gen Mugabe and his team need to know that they are holding offices in the trust of the people of Uganda including those in the military. He reminded the military court officers to bear in mind the norms, values, and aspirations of the people as vanguards of justice and practitioners.
“We are accountable to the Constitution, the people, and liable to the law primary of which is the UPDF Act that we must apply with integrity. It must be part of our daily practice to find and work out means of offering our services in a modern, professional, efficient, and effective way,” he noted.
He cautioned the court members to refrain from acts that lead to public mistrust and strive to deliver justice for all as stipulated both in the constitution and the Bible. Gen Mbadi appreciated General Gutti for his impressive dedication exhibited when he was called to serve and had his contract renewed five times.
On his part, Brigadier Mugabe, who awaits to be officially sworn in as the Court Martial chairperson thanked the appointing authority for choosing him among many officers to take over the office and promised to do his best within his ability to dispense justice.
Mugabe asked Gutti to always be available for him in case he needs to consult him, saying that he is headed for a big task, which needs teamwork.
Gutti, who asked to be retired from the army took over the Court Martial in 2016 replacing the late Lt. General Levi Karuhanga. Some of the high-profile cases he has handled include the trial of the former Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura, the former head of the Special Operations Unit, Nixon Agasirwe, former Director of Crime Intelligence Col. Atwooki Ndahura, the former Commandant of the Police Professional Standards Unit Senior Commissioner of Police, Joel Aguma, former Flying Squad Commander, Herbert Muhangi and ASP James Magadda.
Others included the former Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi, Court bailiff Moses Kirunda, and hundreds of National Unity Platform party supporters among others. The Court Martial is provided for under section 197 of the UPDF Act with unlimited original jurisdiction to handle any criminal matter of service offense.
It is also the first appellate court over decisions of Division Court Martial and Unit Disciplinary Committee.
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