The UPDF First Division Court Martial sitting in Kakiri in Wakiso district has convicted and sentenced two soldiers for the murder of 3 people including 2 civilians during the November 2020 riots.
LDU operative Salim Mustafa and Lance Corporal Augustine Mugisha have been sentenced to 35 years and life in prison respectively by the First Division Court Martial Chairperson Col. Sam Mugyenyi.
54 people were shot dead in the riots that rocked Kampala and several parts of the central region on 18th and 19th November 2021 after Presidential Candidate Robert Kyagulanyi had been arrested while on the campaign trail.
With Capt Paul Rwabwogo as the State Prosecutor and Council Miriam Kesiime as the defence lawyer, LDU Salim Mustafa was the first to be brought before the seven-man tribunal. Salim was accused of killing Ibrahim Mutaasa who was a detainee at Wandegeya police station as one of the suspects of the November 2020 riots.
Salim was asked by the Wandegeya Police station in-charge to escort Mutaasa to his cell together with Detective Constable Mike Otada.
“The late Mutaasa Ibrahim first resisted being taken to the cells. According to the evidence, there was an exchange of ‘hot words’ between the accused and the deceased. Later, the accused forcefully grabbed the deceased by the neck and started pushing him. The deceased was already in custody. Was it necessary to use the gun when you are 2 soldiers escorting the deceased to a cell,” Col Sam Mugyenyi told the court.
“He only realized that the safety part of his gun was open and the bullet that killed the victim was accidentally released. The law makes an accident and absolute defence,” defence lawyer Mariam Kesiime told the court-martial.
Col Sam Mugyenyi has convicted and sentenced LDU Mustafa to 35 years in prison.
“You are hereby sentenced to 35 years in prison in a government facility,” Col Mugyenyi declared.
Lance Corporal Augustine Mugisha, who was accused of shooting two people including an LDU officer, was brought in after the sentencing of Mustafa. The deceased are LDU Hussein Ssenoga and a civilian, Grace Walungama. It is said he shot the two at Ssempijja Auto Garage in Lubaga, Kampala.
According to evidence brought to the court, Mugisha is accused of having ordered Ssenoga to shoot Grace Walungama over allegations that she was one of the rioters which the LDU officer refused to do. Mugisha is said to have proceeded to shoot both of them dead.
“When the late LDU Ssenoga tried to prevail upon b his boss not to kill, to behave, the accused realized that he had to finish the two at a go,” Col Sam Mugyenyi told the court.
Col Mugyenyi also found Mugisha guilty of murder. Mugisha has been sentenced to life imprisonment at a government facility.
Col Mugyenyi has apologized to the relatives of the deceased for the delayed justice and has asked them to reach out to the UPDF for compensation.
“As a policy of the UPDF, we compensate the family of the bereaved and also give a helping hand,” Col Mugyenyi says.
Mustafa and Mugisha are the first men in uniform to be convicted and punished for the deaths of civilians during the November 2020 Kampala riots. At least 54 people were killed during the 2-day riots.
The UPDF First Division Court Martial sitting in Kakiri in Wakiso district has convicted and sentenced two soldiers for the murder of 3 people including 2 civilians during the November 2020 riots.
LDU operative Salim Mustafa and Lance Corporal Augustine Mugisha have been sentenced to 35 years and life in prison respectively by the First Division Court Martial Chairperson Col. Sam Mugyenyi.
54 people were shot dead in the riots that rocked Kampala and several parts of the central region on 18th and 19th November 2021 after Presidential Candidate Robert Kyagulanyi had been arrested while on the campaign trail.
With Capt Paul Rwabwogo as the State Prosecutor and Council Miriam Kesiime as the defence lawyer, LDU Salim Mustafa was the first to be brought before the seven-man tribunal. Salim was accused of killing Ibrahim Mutaasa who was a detainee at Wandegeya police station as one of the suspects of the November 2020 riots.
Salim was asked by the Wandegeya Police station in-charge to escort Mutaasa to his cell together with Detective Constable Mike Otada.
“The late Mutaasa Ibrahim first resisted being taken to the cells. According to the evidence, there was an exchange of ‘hot words’ between the accused and the deceased. Later, the accused forcefully grabbed the deceased by the neck and started pushing him. The deceased was already in custody. Was it necessary to use the gun when you are 2 soldiers escorting the deceased to a cell,” Col Sam Mugyenyi told the court.
“He only realized that the safety part of his gun was open and the bullet that killed the victim was accidentally released. The law makes an accident and absolute defence,” defence lawyer Mariam Kesiime told the court-martial.
Col Sam Mugyenyi has convicted and sentenced LDU Mustafa to 35 years in prison.
“You are hereby sentenced to 35 years in prison in a government facility,” Col Mugyenyi declared.
Lance Corporal Augustine Mugisha, who was accused of shooting two people including an LDU officer, was brought in after the sentencing of Mustafa. The deceased are LDU Hussein Ssenoga and a civilian, Grace Walungama. It is said he shot the two at Ssempijja Auto Garage in Lubaga, Kampala.
According to evidence brought to the court, Mugisha is accused of having ordered Ssenoga to shoot Grace Walungama over allegations that she was one of the rioters which the LDU officer refused to do. Mugisha is said to have proceeded to shoot both of them dead.
“When the late LDU Ssenoga tried to prevail upon b his boss not to kill, to behave, the accused realized that he had to finish the two at a go,” Col Sam Mugyenyi told the court.
Col Mugyenyi also found Mugisha guilty of murder. Mugisha has been sentenced to life imprisonment at a government facility.
Col Mugyenyi has apologized to the relatives of the deceased for the delayed justice and has asked them to reach out to the UPDF for compensation.
“As a policy of the UPDF, we compensate the family of the bereaved and also give a helping hand,” Col Mugyenyi says.
Mustafa and Mugisha are the first men in uniform to be convicted and punished for the deaths of civilians during the November 2020 Kampala riots. At least 54 people were killed during the 2-day riots.