How Kitatta Hid In Toilet With A Loaded Golden Gun

A witness has narrated how Boda Boda 2010 supremo Abdallah Kitatta locked himself in a hotel toilet to avoid arrest when operatives from Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence closed in on him.

Richard Kasaija, 24, a private, attached to CMI was giving evidence in the General Court Martial where Kitatta is facing trial for illegal possession of firearms.

He said they tracked Kitatta to Vine Tea hotel in Wakaliga where he was staying and they cordoned the area off to ensure no one escapes.

They then asked the manager of the hotel to provide a guests manifest and used it to locate the room where Kitatta was staying. They knocked on the room but no one opened prompting the manager to get spare room keys.

Kasaija told to court how the operatives opened the hotel room, found it empty and proceeded to the toilet room which they also locked. “We knew he was inside and we told him that we were going to fire bullets in the door and force it open. He then opened the door of the toilet and was immediately arrested.’

“We found him with a gold plated pistol and upon inspection we found it had five bullets, was already corked and ready to fire and one of the bullets was in chamber.”

The army court was told that when the arrest of Kitatta was confirmed, his colleagues who were in Kitatta’s vehicle in the hotel park yard tried to drive the vehicle away but were arrested by operatives who had cordoned off the hotel area.

The witness said they searched the vehicle and found another pistol hidden in the front passenger seat and an SMG rifle from under the driver’s seat.

When the prosecution displayed the firearms and the bullets recovered from Kitatta, the Boda Boda 2010 macho man broke down and wiped tears from his eyes.

Prosecution alleges that Abdallah Kitatta, Sowali Ngobi and Ibrahim Ssekajja were found in unlawful possession of an SMG rifle and a pistol without a valid firearm licence.

The trial started after Kitatta had been denied bail.

The court martial chaired by Lt. Gen.Andrew Guti denied Kitatta his liberty saying there is no evidence that Kitatta’s ailments cannot be treated while in military detention.

Another ground for denying him bail was that Kitatta’s closeness to police officers means he can interfere with witnesses if he is released.

Guti also ruled that considering the seriousness of the charges against Kitatta and the evidence adduced in court, if he is released on bail, there is a big likelihood, he would abscond.

Guti also ruled that he was not convinced that the sureties Kitatta presented to court could compel him not to abscond from bail and vanish.

Kitatta is charged together with Matia Ssenfuka, Hassan Ssemata, Joel Kibirige, Ssengooba Hassan, Jonathan Kayondo,Hussein Mugema, Sande Ssemwogerere, John Ssebandeke, Fred Bwanika and Amon Twinomujuni.