Congolese national, four others accused of terrorism

Five people, including a Congolese national, were charged on Friday and sent to Luzira prison for terrorism and aiding and abetting terrorism. The group appeared before the Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court presided over by Magistrate Winnie Nankya Jatiko.

“This court has no jurisdiction to hear your case. It can only be heard by the Supreme Court. In the meantime, you will be remanded to Luzira Prison until November 11,” Magistrate Jatiko ruled.

The suspects include Anwari Al-Araiq Junior, a former fighter of the allied forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Denis Ahmed Musitwa, a mechanic, Wafula Yakuti Musabi, a businessman, Hamidu Wambi Sogoonto, a milk seller, and Yusuf Dujani Kivumbi, a taxi driver.

According to the prosecutor led by Allan Mucunguzi, the group is accused of terrorism and aiding the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist organization.

“The investigation is still ongoing,” Mucunguzi told the court.

The prosecution alleges that between 2018 and May 2024, the group procured firearms and ammunition, recruited members into the ADF and deliberately provided support to the organization, knowing it would be used for terrorist activities.

The prosecution alleges that the group and others who continued to be generally, “indiscriminately, without regard to the safety of others or property, directly or indirectly involved in the procurement of firearms and ammunition, recruited recruits for the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a terrorist organization.”

In the second indictment, the prosecutor further alleges that the group and others still at large “intentionally provided support to the ADF, a terrorist organization, that is, recruited for Dr. Congo, knowing or having reason to assume that such support will be used for the purposes of and/or incitement to acts of terrorism.”