32 Kenyans Sentenced To 20 Years In Prison By Ugandan Military Court For Possessing Guns

32 Kenyans were given 20 years in the Moroto Government Prison for illegally possessing weapons and ammunition by the 3rd Division Military Court Martial located in the Moroto District in the Northern area.

The court presided over by Col. Benard Arinaitwe Tuhame, Chairman of the Third Division Court Martial, found the 32 Kenyans guilty of their own admission of guilt and punished them. They were all natives of Orum Sub County in Lodwar District, Turkana County.

Any person caught in possession of weapons, ammunition, or other property belonging exclusively to the armed forces will be subject to Military Law and tried by a Court Martial, according to Section 119 of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) Act.

After a successful cordon and search operation on April 8 in the Lokiriaut and Nadunget subcounties, 31 guns and 752 rounds of ammunition were found among Turkana pastoralists in the Moroto District.

Brig Gen Joseph Balikuddembe, commander of the UPDF 3rd Division, said in an interview with The Monitor that the operation, which also resulted in the seizure of 19 bow and arrows, was carried out in the early hours of Saturday morning in Lokereyot Village, Nadunget sub-county, some 50 kilometers from Moroto Town.

After a successful cordon and search operation on April 8 in the Lokiriaut and Nadunget subcounties, 31 guns and 752 rounds of ammunition were found among Turkana pastoralists in the Moroto District.

Brig Gen Joseph Balikuddembe, commander of the UPDF 3rd Division, said in an interview with The Monitor that the operation, which also resulted in the seizure of 19 bow and arrows, was carried out in the early hours of Saturday morning in Lokereyot Village, Nadunget sub-county, some 50 kilometers from Moroto Town.

Although 129 people were reportedly detained during the operation, according to Brig Balikuddembe, the criminal paperwork for only 32 of them were available for filing on Tuesday. Over the years, the border crossing points between Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, and Somalia have served as a major hub for illegal firearms entering Karamoja and Turkana. These weapons have been utilized in the recent increase in cattle raids that have cost many lives in Karamoja and its neighboring regions of Teso, Sebei, Lango, and Acholi.