The General Court Martial in Makindye has remanded a Sheikh Yasin Ssenyonga, aka Babyesiza after being found in possession of live ammunition during a security operation in his house.
Sheikh Yasin Ssenyonga was arrested in May by the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), the intelligence arm of the Ugandan army over links with Allied Democratic Forces.
Ssenyonga was on Monday set before the army court in Makindye charges of unlawful possession of ammunition contrary to section 3(1) and (2) (a) of the Firearms Act.
“On or around May, 2, 2023 while at Mbiko in Buikwe District, the accused was found in unlawful possession of two magazines containing 23 rounds of live SMG ammunition, the said ammunition ordinarily being the monopoly of the defence forces,” the army prosecutor told court on Monday.
He said the 47-year-old sheikh who is also an herbalist and Imam at Hidaya Masjid Salaf in Mbiko is a person subject to military law by virtue of section 119(1) (h) (ii) of the UPDF Act 2005.
Section 119 of the UPDF Act relates to persons not otherwise subject to military law but are subjected to military law when they aid and abet persons subject to military law.
Section 119 (h) (i) and (ii) mandates the UPDF to arrest, detain and try in a military court martial any person found in unlawful possession of arms, ammunition or equipment ordinarily being the monopoly of the defence forces or other classified stores.
The army prosecutors told court on Monday that investigations into the matter have been completed.
The army court chairman, Brig Robert Freeman Mugabe remanded Ssenyonga to prison until February, 27, 2024.
