Uganda court sets sentencing for former rebels in fake bomb case

Two former Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) members, Hamza Lyavaala and Walusansa Adiil, have reaffirmed their guilty pleas to murder charges in a Kampala court. The charges stem from two staged bomb incidents in June 2025 at the Munyonyo Martyrs Shrine and Kalerwe Market, which resulted in three deaths.

Lyavaala and Adiil, who acted as state informers, had previously attempted to withdraw their pleas but ultimately decided to maintain their admissions of guilt. The General Court Martial has scheduled their sentencing for November 2, 2026.

The defendants are jointly charged with Lieutenant Colonel Ephraim Byaruhanga, a former director of special operations in military intelligence, who denies all allegations. Lyavaala previously testified that Byaruhanga recruited them to organize the operations to gain attention from superiors amid internal intelligence disagreements. Prosecutors allege the incidents were staged to incite public and state fear.