Guantanamo Ex-Detainee Sentenced to Six Years for Soliciting ADF Support

Jamal Kiyemba, who was previously held at the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, has received a six-year prison sentence for soliciting support for the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Justice Susan Okalany of the International Crimes Division of the High Court handed down the sentence on August 4, finding Kiyemba guilty of the offense.

In her ruling, Justice Okalany acknowledged several mitigating factors, including Kiyemba being a first-time offender, the isolated nature of his actions, and the lack of evidence that he recruited, financed, or engaged in violence for the ADF. She also considered his personal circumstances, remorse, and mental state.

The court took into account the time Kiyemba had already spent in custody, including over four years on remand in Luzira Prison. His six-year sentence is to run from the date of conviction. Given the time already served, he has approximately one year and nine months remaining.

Despite the conviction for soliciting support, Kiyemba was acquitted of charges related to belonging to a terrorist organization. The court determined that the prosecution had not provided sufficient evidence to prove his membership in the ADF.

The conviction was based on the testimony of a civilian who reported hearing Kiyemba at the Old Taxi Park in Kampala urging the public to support the ADF and warning of continued bloodshed if they failed to do so. The witness’s testimony was found credible and consistent by the judge.

Kiyemba’s defense of insanity, citing bipolar affective disorder, was also rejected by the court, which found that he was capable of making mental assessments at the time of the incident.

Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/guantanamo-ex-detainee-jailed-six-years-for-soliciting-adf-support-5553764