No bail for Brigadier Ondoga, but "speedy" trial

Brig. Michael Ondoga, UPDF

In further news about the general court-martial of Uganda Peoples' Defence Forces Brigadier Michael Ondoga, The Observer reports that, after more than a year in pretrial confinement, he has again been denied bail . . . but now is offered a speedy trial. Ugandan military law permits bail, but it was refused in this case out of concern that, as a senior officer, Brig. Ondoga would be able to intimidate government witnesses, some of whom had served under him, if he were released. If this was a concern in principle, with no particular evidence that he intended or had attempted to do so, the denial of bail would seem to be unwarranted. Brig. Ondoga "is jointly accused with 20 other senior officers under his command of selling fuel and food allocated to the African Union Mission in Somalia (Amisom)."