The Makindye General Court Martial presided over by Brigadier General Richard Tukacungurwa, has remanded the former Director of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), now known as the Directorate of Intelligence and Security (DIS) Major General James Birungi on charges of treachery and offenses related to (insecurity).
On Monday, Maj Gen Birungi, who has been under detention for almost a year since his arrest in August last year, was arraigned before the court martial alongside three other Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers, who were charged with murder.
The three officers have been charged with murder in connection with the fatal shooting of alleged suicide bombers during security operations.
The incidents relate to the shooting of a woman travelling on a motorcycle near Kalerwe Market and a man near the Catholic shrine in Munyonyo during the Uganda Martyrs Day celebrations
However, media coverage of the proceedings was restricted after journalists were prevented from taking photographs or covering the court session, while at least three journalists were detained on the orders of Major Alex Echeru, the Officer in Charge of Makindye Military Barracks Prison cells.
The journalists included Judith Kukunda of Uganda Radio Network (URN), Nabatanzi Christine of Radio Simba and Margret Zalwango of Vision Group.
Major Echeru who led the security team escorting Birungi to court, stopped members of the press from photographing the accused or reporting from inside the proceedings.
Maj Gen Birungi and his co accused have been remanded to Makindye Military Barracks until August 3, when the case will return before the court martial for hearing.
