By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Thirty-six members of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) affiliated with the Katonga faction have been remanded to Luzira prison on charges of terrorism.
The group, comprising 33 men and 3 women, was arrested in Kisumu, Kenya, and deported to Uganda.
According to the prosecution, the suspects traveled from various parts of Uganda to Kisumu between July 22nd and 23rd, 2024, to receive or provide terrorism training. They were apprehended by Kenyan authorities and deported to Uganda where they were handed over to security for interrogations.
On Monday (July 29), the group was arraigned before the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Nakawa, Kampala where they were charged with terrorism.
Chief Magistrate Elias Kakooza prevented the suspects from pleading to the capital offense of terrorism noting that the case is triable by the High Court’s International Crimes Division.
Chief Magistrate Kakooza ordered the suspects to be remanded to Luzira prison until August 13th, pending ongoing police investigations.
This was after the State prosecutor, Richard Birivumbuka informed the court that investigations are still underway.
Addressing a joint security press earlier this day, the Police Spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said that Ugandan police are collaborating with their Kenyan counterparts to thoroughly investigate the matter.
Kituuma stated that the suspects were engaged in covert activities suspected to be subversive, drawing the attention of Kenyan security forces. He added that the joint investigation aims to uncover the full extent of their activities.
Last week, the Secretary General of FDC Katonga faction, Harold Kaija dismissed reports of conversion activities of their members stating that they were in Kenya to undergo a leadership training at Ukweli Leadership Academy. Kaija disclosed plans by the faction to sue Kenyan government over arrest and deportation of their members.
