Pte Cephas Rubagumya has been sentenced to 90 years in jail over killing his commander, Lance Corporal Bernard Businge.
Lt Col Deo Akiiki, the deputy Army Spokesperson, said Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) General headquarters Division Court Martial (DCM) that sat at Marine Brigade Headquarters in Buliisa District from Wednesday to Friday this week heard that Rabagumya killed Businge after ordering him to sit down and he did not honour victim’s pleads for mercy.
Rubagumya’s actions were contrary to section 188 & 189 of the panel code act Chapter 120 of the laws of Uganda. Maj Gerald Bamwitirisibwe, who led the prosecution led by Maj Gerald Bamwitirsbwe told the DCM chaired by Col Edison Muhanguzi that on 27 May 2020, Rubagumya left Mulima detach and went to Hoima town to withdraw his salary and on coming back at around 8:40pm he started quarreling with his commander.
The convict later got his gun from the house and ordered Businge Benaerd to sit down. Businge Benaerd begged for mercy but all in vain. He was shot and killed in cold blood with malice aforethought.
Maj Bamwititirisibwe presented witnesses who included Pte Ochero Joseph and Pte Chebet Flouk who were also deployed at the same mulima detach. The witnesses told the DCM that Pte Rubagumya shot their commander about ten bullets shortly after a heated argument .
Col Muhanguzi, while sentencing Rubagumya said that the sentence should serve as a warning to all officers and men of UPDF. “This sentence should serve as a warning to all gallant officers and men of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces especially Marine Brigade unit,” Col Muhanguzi said.
Rubagumya was told to appeal with in fourteen days if the charge was too harsh to him and the court was adjourned.