The Fourth Infantry Division Court Martial has convicted a 44-year-old man over illegal possession of firearm and ammunition.
Rasul Akasa alias Ndale, a resident of Koboko District was charged along with three other people with three counts of illegal firearms possession contrary to section 3(1) (2)(a) and (b) of the UPDF Firearms Act 2005.
He appeared on Tuesday before the Fourth Infantry Division Court Martial Chairperson Col. George Nambafu. The other suspects in the case are Ali Asio Kandege, Swaib Mukutale alias Boy, and Peter Nyakuni, all residents of Koboko and Yumbe Districts.
The prosecution alleges that the suspects and others who are still at large on or around June this year, while in Koboko and Aliwara Town in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) were on different occasions in possession of an SMG No UPDF 48-013610 without a valid firearms certificate.
The prosecution also further stated that the suspects in or around June this year while at Koboko and Aliwara town in DRC, the suspects on several occasions possessed 30 rounds of ammunition of an SMG without a valid firearms certificate.
Three of the suspects denied the charges while Akasa pleaded guilty to the charges of illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Lilian Biira, the state prosecutor told the court martial that in or around May this year Ali Asio Kandege a suspect in the case communicated to Akasa about a deal involving robbing money from a Forex Bureau employee but needed a gun.
She notes that Akasa told his accomplice that he was able to get a gun from one of his friends identified only as Okello, a UPDF officer.
Biira told the court that a deal was struck between Okello and Akasa where the latter offered 800,000 Shillings in exchange for the gun registration number UPDF 48-013610 at a meeting held in Praford Hotel in Yumbe district.
The prosecution notes that Akasa was arrested in July and produced the gun which has since been sent to Uganda Police Force Headquarters for ballistic test.
Col. Nambafu convicted Akasa on his own plea of guilty.
“Since you have understood the brief facts and agreed with them and you have also understood the explanation of the judge’s advocate of what it means to plead guilty, this court is left with no option but to convict you on your own plea of guilty,” Says Col. Nambafu.
He however adjourned the matter to Wednesday, September 6 for sentencing pending issuance of antecedents of the case by the state.
URN.