By Spy Uganda
The General Court Martial has a sentenced a Uganda Peoples Defene Forces (UPDF) soldier to 35 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to the murder of Benon Nsimenta, an Anglican Church lay reader who was shot dead last week.
Pte. Abraham Lokwap was handed the sentence by an army court that sat at Karusandara Primary School in Kasese District on Tuesday, while his three other colleagues were handed 12 months in jail each.
Court heard that Lokwap and three others were manning a roadblock along Kasese Fort Portal highway when Nsimenta and his wife Allen Musimenta were travelling on a boda boda.
Nsimenta’s wife Musiment told court that the officers stopped them and shot her husband in the chest, instantly him instantly.
Court led by Lt. Col. Felix Nyero sentenced Lokwap to 35 years in jail for acting beyond his mandate and killing an innocent Ugandan.
Lt. Col Nyero also sentenced Talent Akampulira, who was commanding the road block to 12 months in jail.
Commenting about their sentencing, UPDF spokesperson Brig. Karemire tweeted thus on Tuesday; “The Mountain Division Court has concluded the trial in Kasese. It sentenced the Patrol Commander to 12 months imprisonment and the killer to 35 years in detention. Justice has not only been done but also seen to be done. The public and media witnessed the full trial.”
Nsimenta, who was a Lay reader of Kogere Church of Uganda, was shot dead while riding on a motorcycle together with his wife Musimenta to their garden along Karungibati on Hima-Kasese road, after soldiers accused them of breaching Presidential COVID-19 directives that prohibit the transportation of passengers using motorcycles.
