Army fuel theft suspects seek bail
Four senior officers of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have applied for bail before the General Court Martial in Makindye, where they are facing charges stemming from the alleged theft and diversion of 270,000 litres of fuel earmarked for military operations.
The accused are Brig Gen James Barigye Ruheesi, Col David Ociti Kidega, Maj Innocent Kikongi Mugumya and Capt Kenneth Labwon Kinyera. The officers appeared before a panel of three military judges chaired by Brig Richard Tukacungurwa and are charged with engaging in personal interests prejudicial to operational efficiency, contrary to Section 122(b) of the UPDF Act.
According to the prosecution, the officers allegedly diverted approximately 270,000 litres of automotive gas oil intended for the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre in Jinja between July 2022 and December 2023 while operating in Kampala and Jinja.
All four denied the charges and subsequently applied for bail. The prosecution team, led by Capt Gift Mubehamwe, Capt Alex Lasto Mukhwana and 2nd Lt Regina Nanzala, was granted until June 29, 2026, to file its response to the applications.
The defence is expected to submit rejoinders on the same date. Defence submissions Brig Gen Barigye, whom prosecutors describe as the principal suspect, sought bail through his lawyers, Maj Busagwa Nsubuga and civilian advocate Ronald Musiime.
The defence argued that the officer had spent more than a year in detention before being formally presented in court for plea-taking. Counsel further told court that Barigye, who is over 60 years old, suffers from asthma and diabetes and is in poor physical and psychological condition following the recent death of his mother, whose burial he reportedly missed while in custody.
The defence also highlighted his more than four decades of service in the UPDF and presented several sureties, including former chief of citizenship and immigration control Maj Gen Apollo Kasita Gowa, retired Brig Jeff Mukasa and his brother.
Lawyers for the accused maintained that the charges are bailable, non-capital offences and that all four officers are first-time offenders. Col Kidega presented his wife, brother and fellow officer Col Ocen as sureties, while Maj Mugumya was backed by his brother and fellow officers.
Capt Kinyera presented his wife and a fellow UPDF captain. Court heard that all the sureties undertook to ensure the accused return for trial whenever required. The case comes amid intensified anti-corruption efforts within the military.
In a post on his X account in April 2025, Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba stated: “I arrested a General who has been stealing fuel for about three years. There are more to follow.”
Investigations indicate that fuel supplies allocated to the Uganda Rapid Deployment Capability Centre were allegedly systematically siphoned off, raising concerns about the unit’s operational readiness.
The alleged theft is estimated to have cost the government billions of shillings over a three-year period. The developments come as several senior military officers remain under investigation over separate corruption-related allegations within the UPDF.
Some, including former CMI director Maj Gen James Birungi, were arrested in 2025 and are yet to be formally presented in court to answer charges.
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المصدر: The Observer (Uganda)
