By SIRAJE LUBWAMA.
Movements before the case of attempted murder was about to kick off against the Paramount Chief of the Madi Stephen Drani Izakare, and Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF), Maj Trevor Kibuuka.
On Friday, the Adjumani Magistrates Court presided over by Magistrate Innocent Omara was set to hear the charges which also included … against Chief Drani Maj Kibuuka, the Second in Command of the 71st Battalion and Sector Commander Apaa and others still at large then.
“Your Worship, I have instructions from the DPP to withdraw all the charges against the accused persons before you and all other still at large,” said a State Attorney before a packed court.
On April 19, this year, Chief Drani was remanded to Openzinzi prison after he was charged with seven counts of attempted murder and three counts of assault jointly together with Maj Kibuuka. “After withdrawing the charges by the DPP, this court has no option but to withdraw them against the accused persons unless held on other criminal charges,” chair the magistrate.
The alleged charges resulted from the April 10th incident at large in Ngoro West village; Aliwara Parish in Itirikwa sub-county after a group of people attacked and burnt houses and food stores which included cassava and soya beans belonging to the Acholi people. Paramount Chief Drani was arrested over Easter Sunday violence on Apaa land where it is alleged that the Chief and the soldier, Maj Kibuuka incited a group of people who mobilized and tortured the locals in the area, and burnt houses.
They were accused of attempting to cause the death of seven people and assaulting others as well as burning children’s lips with burning cigarettes. The cases came following the rescue of 12 people on April 9 by Maj Kibuuka and Chief Drani after they were called in to stop a mob action against suspected arsonists.
The 12 people from the Madi community were arrested by the Acholi residents who owned the houses that were burnt on Easter Day, April 9 this year. Interviewed for a comment the Charmin LC I of Goro B village where the arson took place Ojwid Lakoma wondered how the army and a team of civilians led by Paramount Chief who came in to save the situation could be accused of torture and other offences committed by suspects whom they saved from the angry residents. “The Major Kibuuka I know is a learned law officer who can’t do such a thing.
In any case he has since he was posted here tried to unite us and see that the insecurity is got rid of in Apaa unlike the District Chairperson who alwass side with Madi against the Acholi,” The Major has illegally been accused of those cutting timber and charcoal in the area big forest reserve,” Lakoma told this reporter on Monday.
The April Easter attack came three weeks after the army commanded by Maj Kibuuka had stopped all trucks going to Apaa to carry timber and charcoal which angered sections of leaders who benefit from collection levies on the trucks.
Though Lakoma praised the area DPC for being impartial, other residents from the Madi Community and mostly form Goro B village who declined to be named for safety of their life, accused the Police, a section of army officers and the Adjumani leadership of unfairness and biasness while discharging their duties in Apaa area.
According to the residents, the violence in Apaa area is facilitated by the political leaders jointly with their counterparts in security in Adjumani District for their selfish interests in commercial charcoal dealings and logging in Zoka forest reserve.
They said that the accusations of torture and attempted against Paramount Chief Drani and Maj Kibuuka are aimed at maligning them and interfere with the peace initiatives that they are promoting between the Madi and the Acholi.
About five victims interviewed who are led by Sharon Gorobi said most of them were forced to pin Kibuuka and Chief Gobi but were determined to exonerate the duo by turning into hostile witnesses against the DPP.
When contacted for a comment, Kibuuka’s lawyers said they were going to consult him on whether to file another case of fabricated illegal charges on top of the one they filed against online newspapers.
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