Court martial remands Maj Gen Birungi as two civilians jailed over Military-related offences
NATIONAL
Kampala,Uganda | The General Court Martial sitting at Makindye has further remanded Major General James Mugabe Birungi to military detention after his proposed surety failed to appear in court to support his application for bail
The court, chaired by Brigadier General Richard Tukachungurwa, ordered that Maj Gen Birungi remain at the Makindye Military Police barracks detention facility until September 24, 2026, when proceedings on his bail application are expected to continue.
Maj Gen Birungi is facing charges before the General Court Martial, the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces’ highest military judicial body responsible for handling capital and disciplinary cases involving senior military officers and other persons subject to military law. The UPDF said the general has been appearing before the court in connection with the charges against him.
The latest development came during a session in which the court also handled cases involving civilians accused of offences connected to military property and uniform.
In a separate case, Nsubuga Benjamin and Asiimwe Benson were prosecuted over offences including unlawful wearing of army uniform and illegal possession of a firearm. The two pleaded guilty to the charges and were subsequently convicted and sentenced to two years’ imprisonment each.
According to the UPDF, Nsubuga will serve his sentence at Kitalya Prison, while Asiimwe will serve his term at Gulu Prison.
The court also dealt with the case of Ochan Robert Othieno, who is accused of unlawfully possessing military clothing. Othieno was not convicted during the session but was instead remanded to the Makindye detention facility until September 28, 2026, when his case is expected to come up again.
The series of cases highlights the military court’s continued handling of offences involving military uniforms, firearms and other military-related materials, including cases involving civilians.
The proceedings were conducted before the General Court Martial in Makindye, with Brig Gen Tukachungurwa presiding over the matters. The UPDF published the developments on September 21, 2026.
