Maj Gen James Birungi, the former commander of Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) currently known as Defence Intelligence and Security (DIS) was reportedly grilled for seven hours on Friday by the probe team set up Chief of Defence Forces –CDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Maj Gen Birungi was reportedly interrogated over Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) terror links which saw two women suspicious killed in Kampala as terrorists in the months of June and July. One was killed in Munyonyo on June 3rd during martyrs’ day celebrations while another was killed at Kaleerwe Market.
Gen Muhoozi set up a probe team after it emerged that some CMI commanders had been infiltrated by ADF elements and had allegedly struck a deal to cause unnecessary panic with fake terror bombs in Kampala.
The probe team first zeroed on Col Peter Ahimbisibwe, who was director counterterrorism at CMI cum DIS and Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga, who was director Special Operations at DIS. The two Colonels have since been in custody at Makindye military barracks and are waiting for reconstitution of the General Court Martial so that they can be charged.
The General Court Martial was demised by the January 31 Supreme Court ruling that it was viable to try civilians and military personnel facing capital offences who panelist do not have known legal background. However, the government tabled a fresh bill which was later passed into law and reinstated the General Court Martial.
During separate interrogation, Col Ahimbisibwe and Lt Col Byaruhanga reportedly mentioned their former boss Maj Gen Byaruhanga as part of the terror alarms. But this claim could not be substantiated since UPDF’s Defence Public Information Office (DPIO) has never provided details on why Col Ahimbisibwe and Lt Col Byaruhanga were arrested apart from merely confirming the probe.
According to sources, Maj Gen Birungi was summoned from his farm along Hoima Road and arrived at DIS headquarters in Mbuya a few minutes to 11am. He faced the probe team for over seven hours until he was transferred to Makindye military barracks.
Sources said Maj Gen Birungi was handed to Special Forces Command (SFC) that drove him from Mbuya up to Makindye Military Barracks at around 8pm where he joined his former blue eyed boys Col Ahimbisibwe and Lt Col Byaryhanga.
SFC Spokesperson, Maj Jimmy Omara, said he wasn’t aware of Maj Gen Birungi’s arrest but promised to provide details in case he gets them. However, Maj Gen Felix Kulayigye, the director Defence and Public Information Office (DPIO) said: “You inquiring as who? Allow the institutions to work. When I am being interrogated, you let the institution do their work. Its not good for the public.”
Because of the probe instituted by Gen Muhoozi, the former CMI boss did not travel to Birundi where he was appointed as defence attaché barely two months ago. The Birundi deployment came only two months after he had been appointed as commander of Mountain Division in Fort Portal to oversee even Shujaa operations against ADF in the Democratic Republic of Congo.