Sixteen National Unity Platform supporters including Olivia Lutaaya have pleaded guilty to charges of treachery and being in illegal possession of explosive devices before the General Court Martial in Makindye.
Olivia Lutaaya is said to be a mother of two children for whose release many people have demanded on several occasions on the basis that she was innocent and was only being persecuted as a political prisoner because of her political beliefs.
But on several occasions, the State has always come out to say that whereas several NUP supporters were arrested during and after the 2021 elections, those who were found not to have participated in various crimes were released while others were being held because they reportedly had cases to answer.
In December 2023 the demand for Lutaaya’s release also was made by a certain journalist before President Museveni who later tasked a certain Army official to find out if she was being held for political reasons or for her alleged involvement in a crime.
Olivia Lutaaya is one of the 48 accused persons who were arrested from Kalangala during the campaigns for NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine) on charges of being in illegal possession of ammunition.
Lutaaya who is the only woman on this case for which she has pleaded guilty was earlier granted bail by the then Court Martial Chairperson Lt Gen Andrew Gutti only to be arrested a few months later together with 31 others on charges of treachery and being in possession of explosive devices.
Others who have pleaded guilty include Rashid Ssegujja, David Mafabi, Robert Christopher Rugumayo, Muhydin Kakooza who has on several times attempted to attack the Court officials and was once convicted and sentenced to eight months for Contempt of Court, Abdul Matovu, Mesearch Kiwanuka, Simon Kijambu, Ibrahim Wandera, Stanley Lwanga, Steven Musaakaru, Ronald Kijjambu, Asubat Nagwere, Livingstone Katushabe, Matovu Sharif and Swaibu Katabi.
The group pleaded guilty on Monday when the matter came up for further hearing before the Court chaired by Brigadier General Freeman Robert Mugabe. Captain Simon Busagwa who represents the accused persons informed court that they were willing to change their plea.
The accused persons who have been on remand in different prisons since May 2021 had denied the charges and maintained their innocence. As such, charges were read to them afresh and they accepted to have committed the crimes against them.
The Court has heard that the 16 who have pleaded guilty and others still at large were found in illegal possession of 13 pieces of explosive devices which are ordinarily the monopoly of the defense forces.
The Prosecutors allege that the crimes were committed between November 2020 and May 2021 in areas of Jinja, Mbale, Kireka, Nakulabye, Kawempe, Natete and Kampala Central.
The matter has been adjourned to October 21st 2024 for the Prosecutors to read brief facts of the case regarding how the accused persons reportedly committed the crimes before the Court can go ahead to convict them.
Sources say that the accused persons decided to plead guilty to the charges in order to gain their freedom after languishing in prison for so long with no hopes of being set free.
The Minister for Youth and Children Affairs Dr Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi has since made public statements that he was in negotiations with the President to release all the NUP prisoners.
Trouble for the accused persons started when Uganda Police Force accused them of plotting to carry out petrol bomb attacks targeting government vehicles and buildings in various places in the country ahead of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s swearing in ceremony in May 2021 whom they reportedly never wanted to be sworn in.
This was after Museveni had defeated NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu whom the accused persons reportedly supported in the previous general elections and claimed that he won.
In the aftermath, Police claimed that the suspects masterminded attacks on Kasubi Royal Tombs, former Jinja Resident City Commissioner Eric Sakwa in Nakulabye, Uganda Registration Services Bureau and Katwe police station among others to allegedly show how they were not happy with election results.
As a result, they were arrested by the then Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence operatives and brought to Court to face justice.
Efforts for the accused persons to get bail on several occasions have been futile as their bail applications made on different occasions have been dismissed.
But on several occasions, the State has always come out to say that whereas several NUP supporters were arrested during and after the 2021 elections, those who were found not to have participated in various crimes were released while others were being held because they reportedly had cases to answer.
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