Court Martial frees South Sudan General first charged in 2018

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The General Court Martial in Makindye has freed Lt. General William Mark Orobi from South Sudan People’s Liberations Army-SPLA. It came after the prosecution dropped the charges of unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition against Orobi.

The general first appeared before the former court martial chairperson, Chairperson Lt General Andrew Gutti on August,5th 2019. His charges dated back to 2018. Court then heard that on April 5th, 2018, while at Kigumba in Masindi District, Orobi was found in unlawful possession of an AK 47 gun with 19 bullets, which the military prosecutors argued that they are ordinarily the monopoly of the Defense Forces.

Orobi pleaded not guilty to both charges and was remanded to Makindye Military Barracks but was later released on bail pending a hearing. However, when the matter came up on Tuesday before the general court-martial chaired by Brigadier Freeman Robert Mugabe, the military prosecutors Pte Anthony Phillip Olupot and Lt Gift Mubehamwe told the court that they had instructions to withdraw charges against Orobi.

“The Director of Prosecutions has given us instructions to discontinue the ongoing case against Lt Gen Orobi. He has given us a letter to present before this court and we pray that court accepts it,” Olupot told Court.

Mugabe endorsed the letter and discharged Lt. General Orobi. According to the Firearms Act, unlawful possession of firearms attracts a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison upon conviction.

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