Ex - LRA commanders escape from safe house
Posted in: News
By Grace Matsiko
Jul 7, 2008 - 12:28:07 AM
Jul 7, 2008 - 12:28:07 AM
Kampala
Seven former commanders of the Lord’s Resistance Army, who defected from Joseph Kony’s hideout in Garamba last year, yesterday escaped from a safe house in Kiwatule, a city suburb.
After breaking off from the UPDF guards, the ex-commanders led by Lt. Col. Opio Makasi walked to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) headquarters on Kitante Road to lodge complaints regarding their living conditions and stay in a safe house.
Col. Makasi was LRA’s director of operations before he handed himself over to the UN in October last year, after Kony executed his deputy, Vincent Otti, the same month.
The others commanders who escaped from the house were Capt. Sunday Otto, the former head of Kony’s security detail, Capt. Vincent Okema, Capt. Richard Odong Kau, Capt. Alex Ojok, Lt. George Okello and Lt. Sunday Kidega.
But acting Army and Defence spokesman, Capt. Chris Magezi denied the former rebels escaped or were living in a safe house.
“Makasi and others have been living in a house rented for them. They live very well. The thing with prominent LRA defectors is that they continue to live in close contact with us purely for their own security,” Capt. Magezi said.
“The other defectors like Sam Kolo, Banya, Onen Kamdulu, have been in the barracks. Whereas there is willingness from the community to welcome them, there are others who may harm them,” he added.
He said some of the complaints the group had “were administrative and they are going to be handled now that we know them.” But Capt. Otto said for seven months they have been kept in the safe house by the army.
“We are not allowed to touch the gate, we are not free, we cannot see our families, we cannot see outside the gate, is that Amnesty?” Capt. Otto, a beneficiary of the Amnesty complained on telephone minutes after the escape. “We are heading to Kitante to ask the office, why we are not free yet we have amnesty papers,” he added.
The former commanders reportedly took advantage of laxed security at the safe house to break loose from the guards at around 7.15a,.m. One of the guards saw them sneak through a back door and he alerted his commander, who threatened to shoot them.
Otto said they defied the commander who had called 10 other guards to force them on gunpoint into the house. When they reached a bus stop, the ex-rebels wanted to force their way into a taxi but the soldiers ordered the driver not take them.
He said as they approached Ntinda trading centre, a van was brought from CMI headquarters and it took them to their offices.
Otto claimed they have not been given financial packages like the defectors who came before them but Capt Magezi said the ex-rebels were paid.
Surrendering LRA commanders have been given a monthly stipend as they wait for integration into civilian life. Kolo and Banya, a spokesman and senior commander in LRA, each get Shs600,000, an equivalent of a monthly pay for a UPDF Major.
The ex-commanders were part of a group that escaped from the jungles of Garamba in the DR Congo on November 7, following a split between Kony and his deputy, Otti. Otto, Kau, Okema and Makasi had reportedly been identified for arrest by Kony.
Information about their imminent arrest leaked and they escaped from Kony’s hideout before they could be taken in. They handed themselves over to the UN force, Monuc, which facilitated their repatriation home on December 1 through Kinshasa.
Seven former commanders of the Lord’s Resistance Army, who defected from Joseph Kony’s hideout in Garamba last year, yesterday escaped from a safe house in Kiwatule, a city suburb.
After breaking off from the UPDF guards, the ex-commanders led by Lt. Col. Opio Makasi walked to the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) headquarters on Kitante Road to lodge complaints regarding their living conditions and stay in a safe house.
Col. Makasi was LRA’s director of operations before he handed himself over to the UN in October last year, after Kony executed his deputy, Vincent Otti, the same month.
The others commanders who escaped from the house were Capt. Sunday Otto, the former head of Kony’s security detail, Capt. Vincent Okema, Capt. Richard Odong Kau, Capt. Alex Ojok, Lt. George Okello and Lt. Sunday Kidega.
But acting Army and Defence spokesman, Capt. Chris Magezi denied the former rebels escaped or were living in a safe house.
“Makasi and others have been living in a house rented for them. They live very well. The thing with prominent LRA defectors is that they continue to live in close contact with us purely for their own security,” Capt. Magezi said.
“The other defectors like Sam Kolo, Banya, Onen Kamdulu, have been in the barracks. Whereas there is willingness from the community to welcome them, there are others who may harm them,” he added.
He said some of the complaints the group had “were administrative and they are going to be handled now that we know them.” But Capt. Otto said for seven months they have been kept in the safe house by the army.
“We are not allowed to touch the gate, we are not free, we cannot see our families, we cannot see outside the gate, is that Amnesty?” Capt. Otto, a beneficiary of the Amnesty complained on telephone minutes after the escape. “We are heading to Kitante to ask the office, why we are not free yet we have amnesty papers,” he added.
The former commanders reportedly took advantage of laxed security at the safe house to break loose from the guards at around 7.15a,.m. One of the guards saw them sneak through a back door and he alerted his commander, who threatened to shoot them.
Otto said they defied the commander who had called 10 other guards to force them on gunpoint into the house. When they reached a bus stop, the ex-rebels wanted to force their way into a taxi but the soldiers ordered the driver not take them.
He said as they approached Ntinda trading centre, a van was brought from CMI headquarters and it took them to their offices.
Otto claimed they have not been given financial packages like the defectors who came before them but Capt Magezi said the ex-rebels were paid.
Surrendering LRA commanders have been given a monthly stipend as they wait for integration into civilian life. Kolo and Banya, a spokesman and senior commander in LRA, each get Shs600,000, an equivalent of a monthly pay for a UPDF Major.
The ex-commanders were part of a group that escaped from the jungles of Garamba in the DR Congo on November 7, following a split between Kony and his deputy, Otti. Otto, Kau, Okema and Makasi had reportedly been identified for arrest by Kony.
Information about their imminent arrest leaked and they escaped from Kony’s hideout before they could be taken in. They handed themselves over to the UN force, Monuc, which facilitated their repatriation home on December 1 through Kinshasa.
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