New Vision (Kampala)

Mayombo Supports Death Penalty

May 11, 2002

Fortunate Ahimbisibwe

THE death penalty should be maintained if Uganda is to seriously address the issues of justice, the Chief of Military Intelligence and army MP, Lt.Col. Noble Mayombo, has said.

He was speaking during the fifth annual Sir Udo Udoma Symposium organised by Makerere Law Society. Udoma was the first African Chief Justice.

"The constitution exonerates anybody who engages in rebellion when free and fair elections have been carried out. Any attempt to grab power by the use of the gun is against the constitution," Mayombo argued.

"Therefore, the retention of this penalty is necessary and relevant to our history," he added.

 Mayombo was presenting a paper on whether the death penalty is still needed in Ugandan law books.

 He said the penalty should be maintained on capital offences such as treason, murder, rape and robbery with aggravation.

 Mayombo said only such a penalty could reduce crime and protect certain groups from being victimised by others.

 He justified the execution of the two UPDF soldiers who murdered Declan O'Toole, a priest in Karamoja in March.

 "A killing is judicial if done through court. In this case, the execution was resolved by a field court martial of nine people," he said.