Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Constitutional court has for the second time in less than two years ruled that military courts have no power to try civilians. In a majority ruling written by now Supreme Court Justice Elizabeth Musoke, the court held that military courts are not courts of …
Read More »Human rights inquiry opens into alleged M23 violence against civilians in DRC fighting: UN
United Nations | Xinhua | The UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has launched a human rights inquiry into alleged M23 violence against civilians, a UN spokeswoman said on Tuesday. The mission, known as MONUSCO, was joined by the UN Joint Human Rights Office to look into …
Read More »AUC chief condemns killing of 132 civilians in central Mali
Addis, Ababa, Ethiopia | Xinhua | Chairperson of the African Union Commission (AUC) Moussa Faki Mahamat on Tuesday condemned the killing of 132 civilians in central Mali. A total of 132 civilians were killed in three villages in the rural commune of Bankass in central Mali, the Malian government said in …
Read More »Russia declares ceasefire in Ukraine for civilians evacuation: Defense ministry
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russian forces will observe a truce in Ukraine starting 10:00 a.m. Moscow time (0700 GMT) on Saturday to facilitate the evacuation of civilians via humanitarian corridors, the Russian Ministry of Defense said. As was agreed by the Ukrainian side, the humanitarian corridors will allow the exit …
Read More »Convicted UPDF soldiers in Somalia used explosives to desecrate bodies of their victims
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Uganda Radio Network-URN has obtained details of the five soldiers convicted last week by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces-UPDF General Court Martial sitting in Mogadishu for killing civilians in Somalia. The convicts are R0/13537 Captain Charles Asiimwe, RA164787 Corporal Edison Bwambale, RAV/171317 Corporal Alexander Babu, …
Read More »Two UPDF soldiers to serve death sentence for killing civilians in Somalia
Mogadishu, Somalia | Xinhua | Two Ugandan soldiers accused of killing seven Somali civilians in August while serving under the African Union peacekeeping mission (AMISOM) have been sentenced to death while three others to 39 years each in jail after being found guilty by a court-martial. AMISOM said the Court Martial …
Read More »Recruiting more LDUs will throw Uganda into anarchy – Security analysts
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Security analysts have warned that Uganda risks being plunged into anarchy by recruiting and keeping armed Local Defence Units-LDUs in the civilian populace. Uganda People’s Defence Force-UPDF is finalizing with the recruitment of 10,000 more Local Defence Unit personnel. But security analysts Fred Egesa and …
Read More »Supreme Court halts implementation of orders in Kabaziguruka’s case
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Supreme Court has stopped the implementation of orders of the Constitutional Court which among others, barred civilians from being prosecuted before the General Court Martial. The Constitutional Court had ordered that the files for all civilians facing trial before the General Court Martial be transferred …
Read More »Supreme Court halts orders stopping military from trying civilians
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Supreme Court has issued an interim order staying the implementation of the Constitutional court ruling barring the military courts from trying civilians. The order has been issued by a panel of five Justices led by the Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo saying that he …
Read More »Court Martial has no power to try civilians – Constitutional court
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Constitutional Court has ruled that the Court Martial has no powers to try civilians. In a majority ruling of three justices against two, the court ruled that although the Court Martial is a competent court under the 1995 Constitution, its powers are only limited …
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