Kampala Street beggar with gun remanded to Luzira

KAMPALA, UGANDA: The Buganda Road Magistrates Court has remanded Hamuza Farouk Kintu, a street beggar, to Luzira Prison on charges of being in possession of a firearm without a valid firearm certificate.

Kintu also known as Tonny Anthony Mayambala Mugabi has been charged before the Court presided over by Grade One Magistrate Sienna Owomugisha and charged with two counts namely unlawful possession of government stores and being in possession of a firearm without a valid firearm certificate.

The Court has heard that during the month of April 2023 at Biina Upper Zone in Nakawa District in Kampala, Kintu was in possession of a UPDF uniform, UPDF Rain Jacket bearing marks of the army, Uganda Police Force boots (shoes) which the Prosecution believes that they might be suspected of having been stolen or unlawfully obtained.

However, Kintu who was brought to court in a wheelchair has pleaded not guilty to the charges against him, and although he was told that he has a right to apply for bail, he had no lawyer in court neither relatives nor friends to stand surety for him.

The Prosecution led by State Attorney Lydia Nakato has informed the court that inquiries are complete and asked to be given a hearing date.

As a result, Magistrate Owomugisha has remanded Kintu until May 8th 2023 for the next hearing of his case.

Case Background

Kintu, a resident of Biina Mutungo, regularly carried out his begging activities along Namirembe Road, but could also be found around the mosque next to Arua Park.

It is alleged that Kintu regularly got into town very early every morning and left late in the night and he had reportedly claimed to have been a soldier in the National Resistance Army -NRA which brought President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni into power.

Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango two weeks ago told the media that Kintu has been under security surveillance on suspicion of being in possession of stolen bullets.