Court Martial Overturns Bodaboda 2010 Boss Kitatta's 8 Year Jail Sentence, Sets Him Free!

The founder of Bodaboda 2010 Association Abdallah Kitatta has been released from Luzira prison after the Court Martial yesterday reduced his 8 year sentence, following his appeal.

The six-member court chaired by a civilian advocate, Elly Turyamubona sitting in Makindye, delivered its verdict on Friday August 7, 2020. The court also deducted the time the duo has spent on remand from the sentence, saying they will now serve for one year, eight months and six days.

They noted that the ten-year jail term handed to the duo by the General Court Martial in 2019 was too harsh and excessive. They argued that the maximum punishment should have been handed to hardcore criminals, which wasn’t the case with Kitatta and Ngobi.Court heard that both Kitatta and Ngobi who have been in custody since their arrest in January 2018 have never used the pistol and sub machine gun they were found with to endanger anyone’s life or used them in criminal activities.

The same court evaluated the evidence used to convict the duo and found that they were convicted properly because they didn’t have valid licenses for the firearms in their possession, yet they are ordinarily meant for defence forces

A reliable source from Luzira Prison has informed us, that Mr Kitatta has been released at 4:30PM from Luzira prison where was jailed since his sentence

Family members have gathered at Kitatta’s country home in Ddundu near Nakasajja town in Kyampisi sub county, Mukono district celebrating his release.

Many Kitatta friends have sent him congratulatory messages on social media especially Facebook.

Former Bodaboda 2010 Patron Abdalla in May 2019 was found guilty of possessing agold pistol illegally, an SMG riffle and 35 ammunition.

Mr Kitatta who commanded the notorious militia group of Bodaboda 2010 was arrested in January 2018 in Kampala by Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

He was arrested after two of his members confessed to CMI that they had participated in the gruesome killing of Case Clinic Accountant, Francis Ekalungar.

In May, 2019, the Army Court Martial at Makindye handed Mr Kitatta and his body guard a 8 year jail sentence.

Lt Gen Andrew Gutti advised Kitatta and his colleague to appeal against his decision with in 14 days if they were dissatisfied, which they did.

The Army Court Martial found Kitatta and his body guard Sowali Ngobi guilty of being in possession of a firearm without a valid licence.

It is not clear whether Mr Kitatta is to rejuvenate his Bodaboda 2010 Association which has been weakened since his arrest, or he will start new group.