(Gulu) – A Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) soldier has been sentenced to 13 months in jail for what can only be described as turning a blind eye to “extracurricular activities” during work hours. The Division Court Martial in Gulu, chaired by Col. Innocent Tukashaba, handed Corporal Charles Drameli the sentence after he allowed his subordinate, Lance Corporal Byaruhanga, to engage in a romantic escapade while on duty.
The court heard that back in July 2024, Drameli, who was supposed to be keeping a close watch on an armory, found himself keeping an even closer watch on his subordinate’s tent. Byaruhanga, apparently deciding that guarding weapons wasn’t stimulating enough, invited an unnamed woman to his post. The two were soon engaging in activities that had nothing to do with national security.
Instead of acting like a proper officer and putting a stop to what can only be described as “operations in the field,” Drameli decided to look the other way. He neither reported nor reprimanded Byaruhanga for his adventurous spirit.
Unfortunately for both Drameli and Byaruhanga, the entire affair (pun intended) was caught on CCTV. Talk about being caught in 4K! The cameras, which had been installed for the purpose of keeping a watchful eye on military equipment, ended up capturing some unintentional reality TV.
On Thursday, September 12, 2024, the court wasn’t amused by Drameli’s hands off approach to his command responsibilities. Col. Tukashaba handed down a 13 month jail sentence, which, in military terms, probably feels like spending a whole year in a room with nothing but a mosquito net and stories from people who don’t read to pass the time.
To make matters worse for Drameli, he was also stripped of his rank as a corporal and demoted to private. It seems that for every second he allowed the tent of love to operate under his watch, he lost a stripe. A bit like playing Omweso, where every careless move costs you more seeds than you planned.
| Incident Overview | Details |
|---|---|
| Event | Subordinate engaged in sexual act on duty |
| Commander’s Response | Failed to report or reprimand |
| Evidence | Captured on CCTV |
| Sentence | 13 months in jail, demotion from corporal to private |
| Presiding Officer | Col. Innocent Tukashaba |
Lance Corporal Byaruhanga, the soldier at the heart of the action, was spared from this particular trial—perhaps his day with the court is yet to come. Drameli, however, learned the hard way that when you are tasked with guarding an armory, it’s best to focus on the rifles, not the rendezvous.
This situation offers an important lesson for all UPDF personnel: if your subordinate decides to engage in activities that aren’t part of the military manual, don’t just sit there like a boda-boda rider waiting for a customer. Take action, because in the UPDF, love in the field doesn’t just get you in trouble—it gets you jailed.
In the world of discipline and military duty, there is no such thing as looking the other way when your fellow soldier is “offloading” outside the call of duty. Whether it is rifles or romance, everything needs to be handled responsibly.
Isn’t this selective justice???