Former Chief of Military Intelligence (CMI) Maj Gen James Birungi has been arrested and placed in custody at Makindye Military Police Prison, pending trial before the General Court Martial on charges of treason, corruption, and other serious offences, security officials confirmed on Friday.
His arrest follows a sweeping internal investigation sanctioned by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) high command into alleged misconduct within the intelligence community.
A board of inquiry, chaired by Lt Gen Sam Okiding, the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces, unearthed serious breaches, including the alleged manipulation of intelligence reports and misappropriation of operational funds.
Military insiders say Birungi’s case could be the first in a series of prosecutions, with more arrests expected as the inquiry nears completion.
Maj Gen Birungi, once a towering figure in Uganda’s intelligence circles, is now the first former CMI boss to be jailed after leaving office—an unprecedented move that underscores ongoing purges within the UPDF under Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Key security figures, including Maj Gen Richard Otto, Maj Gen Christopher Ddamulira, Brig Gen Tom Magambo, and Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba, are reportedly central to the continuing probe.
The latest developments add to a string of disciplinary actions within the force, which has already seen several senior officers dismissed or detained in recent months over alleged corruption and financial malpractice.
