KAMPALA -The patron of Boda-boda 2010 Hajji Abudllah Kitatta faces 10 years in jail as he awaits his sentence this morning.
The Makindye based General Court Martial on Monday, May 13 found Kitatta and his bodyguard Sowali Ngobi guilty of being in possession of a firearm without a valid licence.
The 7-member Court chaired by Lt. Gen Andrew Gutti unanimously ruled that evidence from the 4 prosecution witnesses was satisfactory enough to prove the charges against the duo.
Among the guns that Kitatta unlawfully possessed were; the famous gold pistol, an SMG riffle and 35 rounds of ammunition.
However, court acquitted Hajji Kitatta of the offence of unlawful possession of Military attires and a Pistol that the Uganda Police lawfully issued to his body Guard Ngobi to discharge his professional duties.
In doing so, the Court relied on the testimony given by jailed former police special investigations commandant Nixon Agasirwe who testified that he ordered for the issuance of the said Pistol to Ngobi but not an SMG riffle.
During mitigation the lead prosecutor Maj. Rapheal Mugisha asked the court to hand Kitatta and Ngobi a maximum sentence of the years to act as a deterrent for other would be offenders of this prevalent offence.
Maj. Mugisha asked the court to consider the offence of firearms and ammunition thus they should be only in the arms of those supposed to hold them.
However, defence lawyer, Shaban Sanywa asked the court for leniency and a non-custodial sentence saying his clients are victims of circumstances because the person who issued them with the contentious guns never gave them certificates.
He also said they are family men and sole breadwinners of their young families and school going children and responsible people in society, with Kitatta being an NRM chairman for Lubaga division and also suffers a grave illness that needs medical attention.
