Members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) a body responsible for supervising and recruiting judicial officers were scared with the body language of the newly appointed chairperson of the General Court Martial Brig Gen Richard Tukacungurwa.
Highly placed sources in JSC told Ono Bwino that after the Army High Command recommended Brig Gen Tukacungura to replace Brig Gen Robert Mugabe Freeman, President Museveni sent his name to JSC for further verification as the law stipulates.
Sources said that when Tukacungura appeared before the commission, he was tasked to answer a number of questions to establish his capability to execute the assignment.
However, members were scared when he was asked that of the two, the commander-in-chief and the law what comes first.
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“The man took almost three minutes to answer the question. He looked to the ground and when the question asked again, he responded that he will consider the law first,” one of the members told this website.
He added that a number of the members were scared but Justice Dr Douglas Singiza assured them that the man is fit for the job and recommended his appointment to the president who confirmed him through a letter to the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Katucungura’s appointment comes after the amendment made in the UPDF Act following a landmark judgement of the Supreme Court which declared that civilians are not supposed to be prosecuted by the military court.
President Museveni and Gen Muhoozi regrated the judgement and mobilized members of parliament to amend the UPDF Act and make sure that civilians who connive with soldiers and those found in possession of military store are charged in the military court.
Kenyan international lawyer Marth Karua and other civilian lawyers who appeared before the court martial especially at the time when Katucungura was a judge’s advocate warned that in his tenure, he is likely not going to follow the law but instead orders from the top commanders of the army.
They have declared that they are going to join the National Unity Platform (NUP) to challenge the UPDF amendments that resulted into Katucungura’s appointment and other members on the court who include Col Simon Wankandya Tusah, Col Asha Patra, Col Kangwamu Fredrick, Col Mugisha Raphael, Lt Col Mohammedi Nasser Igambi, Maj Samuel Moses Amodoi, Maj Emmanuel Arihaihi, Maj. Abubaker Nyombi and Maj Denis Chemtai among others.
