By Enyichukwu Enemanna
At least 16 members of an opposition party have been convicted by a military tribunal over “illegal possession of explosive devices and treachery,” defence lawyer has said.
The 16 members of the National Unity Platform and others currently at large were found in possession of explosives between November 2020 and May 2021, while elections were under way, prosecutors allege.
Defence counsel has also raised concern over the conviction, calling it “questionable”. They pleaded guilty to the allegations against them.
“Circumstances surrounding their plea of guilty to the charges they had denied previously was questionable,” AFP quoted the defence lawyer, Shamim Malende as saying.
Former singer and senior opposition figure Bobi Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, claimed that the 16 persons had been forced to plead guilty and seek a presidential pardon.
Journalists were not allowed to attend the session where they were convicted.
The 16 have spent four years in jail, and will appear in court Wednesday for their sentencing.
The East African country has been under the iron fist rule of President Yoweri Museveni who since 1986.
The last presidential elections in 2021 were marred by fraud, and demonstrations against series of arrest of Bobi Wine. Demonstrators were forcefully clamped down by the police, resulting in at least 54 dead.
“Whatever Museveni’s government is doing, one day all those under him including himself will be called to account,” Bobi Wine told AFP, saying the accused had been “blackmailed by state agents.”
