Jamal Kiyemba, a former prisoner at Guantanamo Bay, made an appearance before the High Court in Kampala on Tuesday to answer three accusations relating to terrorism.
Kiyemba, also known as Abdullah or Tonny Kiyemba, was charged by Lady Justice Alice Komuhangi Khaukha with an amended charge sheet after being committed to the International Crimes Division by Buganda Road Court on one charge.
He is charged with providing support to a terrorist organization, claiming to be a member of a terrorist organization, and encouraging or soliciting support for that organization.
The court was informed that between January 2021 and December 2021, while living in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Kiyemba recruited individuals for the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF), a group that has been designated as a terrorist organization, as well as other individuals who are still at large.
The court was further informed that on January 29, 2022, at the Old Taxi Park in Kampala City, Kiyemba sought or solicited support for the ADF.
According to the evidence in front of the court, which Uganda Radio Network has reviewed, Kiyemba has openly stated his enthusiasm, belief in, and support for terrorist groups including Al Qaeda, Alshabaab, and ADF since 1999.
The court description claims that Jamal Kiyemba connected with Jamil Mukulu and joined his ADF terrorist group in 2006. He joined the ADF and actively participated in the organization’s training and recruitment of terrorist groups.
According to the case statement, “He became an active member of the ADF involved in recruiting and training of the terrorist group.”
Other evidence presented in court documents showed that in January 2022, Kiyemba was traveling to Bugiri District from Ben Kiwanuka Street in Kampala when he shouted “Long Live ADF” and urged people to support the organization lest more blood be shed in Kampala.
Then, he travelled to the Old Taxi Park to catch a cab to Jinja-Iganga-Kamuli, where he was detained.
He claimed to be an ADF member, supporter, and recruiter while in custody, claiming that his son Jamil Abdallah Buyondo was the most recent recruit.
Kiyemba was charged by the prosecution, which is being headed by Jacqueline Okui, after the police recorded a charge and caution statement.
He has had the charges read to him, and he has been told to remain silent. The judge thereafter requested written arguments from the prosecution and defense counsel before deciding whether to move through with the allegations against Kiyemba and send his case file to a panel of three judges for a trial.
She provided deadlines to these parties and stated that she will issue her decision about the confirmation of charges on April 25th, 2023.
History
Kiyemba moved to the UK in 1998 at the age of 20 to pursue a pharmacy degree.
However, he was detained in Pakistan in 2002 while attempting to enter Afghanistan together with a US agent and suspected Al Qaeda members.
According to reports, Kiyemba was born Anthony Kiyemba and changed his name to Jamal Kiyemba after converting to Islam and losing his father.
Some sites claim that he was permitted to stay in Britain indefinitely before arriving in Pakistan.
After spending four years in detention at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, he was finally freed in 2006 thanks to the efforts of Muslim activists.
Documents reveal that before being deported to Uganda, Kiyemba was later freed and awarded a staggering one million Euros (Shillings 3.7 billion) in compensation from British public funds for unjust detention and human rights violations. The records also indicate that Kiyemba was later detained in Uganda in April 2015 in connection with the March 30, 2015, slaying of state prosecutor Joan Namazzi Kagezi.
On her way home in Kiwatule, a neighbourhood of Kampala City, Kagezi was shot and killed by unidentified assailants on motorcycles.
Despite the fact that numerous suspects have been detained, no one has been successfully tried for the murder and found guilty.
President Yoweri Museveni instructed the Attorney General to pursue the extradition of Kagezi’s murders in 2022 but refrained from disclosing their identities or current locations.