KAMPALA- Justice Eva Luswata of the International Crimes Division of the High Court has ordered the state to avail defence lawyers of jailed former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) leader Jamilu Mukulu with the files in respect of the pre-committal proceedings from the magistrate’s courts in Jinja and Kisitu in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
The order came after defence lawyers led by Mr Evans Ochieng objected to Thursday’s commencement of the pre-trial accusing prosecution of not availing them with the whole disclosure of documents they intend to use during the full hearing of the case.
The lawyers say that the documents left out are very important for them in their defence thus seeking for full disclosure from the two courts.
“I note that only three accused are affected and the documents which defence is seeking deals with the extradition of the three accused. Other accused should endure with yet another delay since they are all on the same indictment as Mr Ochieng said,” Justice Luswata ruled.
The judge ordered that files in respect of the pre-committal proceedings from the magistrate’s court in Jinja to be availed by the state by November 19 and that at Kisitu in Dar es Salaam should be provided on December 19 before adjourning the case to December 20.
Mukulu and 37 others including a woman are facing trial over alleged rebel activities against the government of Uganda.
Mukulu is accused of launching a rebellion when he formed ADF out of remnants of the National Army for the Liberation of Uganda, terrorising people in Western Uganda areas of Rwenzori.
The group is accused of masterminding an attack on Kichwamba Technical Institute in 1998, burning it and causing the death of over 80 students of the institute.
The prosecution also alleges that Mukulu masterminded the killing of various Muslim Sheikhs in Uganda between 2013 and 2015.
