Special Forces soldier dismissed over illegal possession of a pistol

A Special Forces Command soldier has been dismissed from army over illegal possession of a pistol.

The Makindye-based General Court Martial has dismissed Lance Corporal Byamugisha Medard after being convicted of unlawful possession of a Star Pistol with 5 rounds.

Byamugisha and two others were earlier sentenced to three and ahalf years imprisonment and dismissed from army with disgrace by the SFC Division court martial after they were convicted for failure to protect war materials.

Being dissatisfied with the Division Court decision, Byamugisha appealed to the General court martial on grounds that, the three and half year jail term was harsh for him because he was a first time offender with a clean record for the 20 years he has served the army.

In his ruling Makindye Gen court martial Chairman Lt Gen Andrew Gutti has faulted the division court for failure to put in consideration the mitigating factors before sentencing the convict and thus reduced the sentence from dismissal with disgrace from the army and imprisonment to simply dismissal.

Lt. Gen. Gutti added that the sentence awarded to the appellant accordingly bars him from any military service and they feel this was harsh sentence to a person of young age, first offender whom they think that he is capable of reforming and, become a good member of the society and a member of a reserve force who can be called upon to serve the country once the need arises.

Written by David Kugonza