Gulu, (UG):- The UPDF Court Martial has sentenced a 27-year-old soldier to spend 52 years in prison for losing his gun with 120 rounds of ammunition from a pub in Gulu City.
The court sitting at Fourth Division Barracks in Gulu City on Friday, November 22, convicted Private Owen Okumu, 27, RA/270603, attached to the fourth infantry division after he pleaded guilty to the charged offence which violates Chapter 330 of the UPDF Act.
Court heard that on December 30, 2023, Pvt Okumu armed with an SMG number 56-48000707 with 120 rounds of live ammunition while on patrol in Gulu City sneaked from his squad and entered Buganda Pub in Gulu City.
“He got drunk and slept in the pub until at around 03:00 hours when he was traced and found sleeping with neither the gun nor the ammunition,” the court documents read in part.
State Prosecution led by Captain Augustine Tumwebaze therefore requested a stringent sentence for the convict noting that the gun and bullets have not yet been recovered to date. “We pray for a stringent and deterrent sentence for the convict due to the gravity of the case. Since December 2023 to date, the gun and the 120 bullets have never been recovered.”
In his sentence, the Court Martial Chairman, Col Innocent Tukashaba said the court was convinced by the aggravating factors in the case fearing that the gun which has not been recovered could be used to commit grave atrocities.
“We are yet to know the atrocities this gun has caused and whether it was intentional. Court has decided to sentence you RA/270603 Pte Okumu Owen to 52 years in government prison,” Col Tukashaba ruled, adding that Okumu will serve his sentence at Gulu Government Prison.
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