How Ex ADF Abductee Battled Rwenzururu Militants Steven Ainganyiza Bundibugyo suspected attackers being led to jail on July 6 Officials of the UPDF General Court Martial and members of the general public in Bundibugyo district were this week stunned by a prosecution witness’ evidence of how he used extraordinary commando tactics to kill a Rwenzururu militant before injuring other armed fighters in a deadly gun battle on July 5. Yasin Atingiya, 29, a resident of Bundibhwada village in Bundibugyo town council and an informer in the office of the Bundibugyo District Internal Security Officer (DISO) was on Friday appearing as Prosecution Witness No.2 (PW2) on the second day of the hearing in the trial of 125 accused persons charged in connection with the attacks that rocked the Rwenzori region. During cross examination, Atingiya who testified in Luganda said he was abducted by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels from Bundibugyo in 1999 and spent three years with the group before eventually managing to escape in 2003. He added that while there, he learnt how to operate guns and conduct military operations. “When I heard gun shots from the direction of the police station, I immediately moved from town and met policemen who were responding to the attack. One of them handed over his gun to me, and using my military skills, we advanced, taking cover. When I located one of the attackers who were shooting at us I shot him dead. One of his colleagues tried to retrieve his gun, I shot him too and he dropped it,” said Atingiya as the court looked on in awe. “We later arrested him along with several others, some of whom had been injured,” Atingiya narrated to court. He added that the attackers were dressed in similar attire, comprising canvas shoes and tracksuits and had herbs wrapped around their heads and also others tied in small polythene bags in their pockets. Asked whether he knew the names of the people he arrested, the witness said he could only remember two but could identify more others who were in court. He was allowed to identify the two whose names he knew and these were Wilson Ngwengwe and Obadiah Tumugabe alias Kinyerere. Ngwengwe and Kinyerere are accused No.94 and 110 respectively on the charge sheet. Kinyerere, 40, was until the time of his arrest, the Head teacher of Kasulenge Primary school, in Bundibugyo Town Council. However, the witness could not be cross examined by Defence counsel because court had to adjourn to deliberate on an issue submitted by prosecution praying to court to allow the witness also identify from among the suspects in the dock, those he claimed he knew by physical appearance but not by name, a submission that was vehemently rejected by defence. Court resumes next week when a ruling on the matter will be made. The military court is trying suspects in the Rwenzori attacks in which over 90 people perished. Government blamed cultural leaders for the bloody clashes that saw militants raid defence installations.
Posted on: Sun, 31 Aug 2014 10:19:27 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015