KAMPALA- After two months of the pre-trial hearing of the jailed former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) leader Jamilu Mukulu and 37 others, the Director of Public Prosecutions Mike Chibita has finally disclosed all evidence and exhibits that he intends to use against the group.
The rules of this specialised court require a suspect to go through a pre-trial session with prosecution presenting evidence to prove whether there is a prema-facie established against him/her or not which is expected to last for one month.
The principal state attorney Ms Racheal Bikhole told the presiding Judge, Eva Luswata, that all the defence lawyers were served with documentary evidence including witnesses’ statements and some other literature.
She also said that the group had a chance on Tuesday 14th August at CID headquarters to view and mark physical exhibits such as cars and Motor-bikes which cannot be carried to court.
This now constitutes full disclosure of evidence which is a mandatory requirement in criminal trials to enable suspects prepare their defence.
Bikhole further explained that financial constraints due to the new financial year hindered the office of the DPP to meet the previous court deadlines on disclosures.
However, court has heard that apart from agreeing that Mukulu and 2 others were arrested from Tanzania and extradited to Uganda, no other facts formed a common ground for both the prosecution and the Defence team.
“Before we can agree on this factor, we would want to see documents regarding Mukulu’s extradition process from Tanzania,” Mukulu’s lawyer Mr Evans Ochieng asked court.
However, justice Luswata accorded them more time and opportunity until August 22, 2017 to sit and come up with more agreed issues before they return back to court for further hearing of the conferencing on September 18.
Mukulu and 37 others including a woman are facing trial over alleged rebel activities against the government of Uganda.
Mukulu is accused of launching a rebellion when he formed ADF out of remnants of the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda, terrorising people in Western Uganda areas of Rwenzori. The group is accused of masterminding an attack on Kichwamba Technical Institute in 1998, burning it and causing the death of over 80 students of the institute.
Prosecution also alleges that Mukulu masterminded the killing of various Muslim Sheikhs in Uganda between 2013 and 2015.
